Lost Love
by Lamia Lupus
Summary: A post war pre book 5 tale of Sirius black and his daughter Linnea, as they and the rest of the Wizarding world fght to keep their world peaceful and safe. (will be a series so this one is almost done.)
1. Prolouge

Disclaimer: So whatever you recognize Theresa good chance I didn't make it up. Mad props to J. K. for all the great ideas cause I used a lot of them.  
  
A/N: mmk I don't put authors notes at the bottom of my chapters but I think I need one. This fan fic was started before the fifth book was released. I was going to go back and change everything but as you read you will see that that would have been near impossible so I just said forget it. This is also my first attempt at fan fiction so be brutal with your reviews. j/k. Yes read review, and have fun doin it.  
  
Introduction  
  
Dear Professor Dumbledore,  
  
I am in desperate need of your help. I am about to do something drastic. As you know, my daughter is eleven years old now and she is not even aware that I'm her father. She told me about a letter she received, that her mom wouldn't let her read. I know it was the letter from Hogwarts. I was supplied with a letter myself addressed to her, and I am going to take it too her and tell her the truth. She of course knows nothing of our world.  
  
I am going to attempt to show her that today. If you have any advice after I have collected her please. I await your owl I will be at my place later this evening hopefully with Linnea.  
  
Sirius Black  
  
Sirius leaned back in his desk chair gazing at his letter. A solitary tear ran down his cheek. Quickly wiping it away he scanned his completed letter rolled it up and sent it out with his owl hoping that an answer will come soon. Once the owl was well on it's way Sirius went to change.  
  
Opening his closet door he looked himself over. Sirius was a well- built man by nature although his long stay in Azkaban prison had made him go a bit to seed. His dark hair was splashed with gray, and his once smooth clean face was forming laugh lines and wrinkles.  
  
"Well, here goes nothing." He said giving himself a nod of approval at his muggle attire. He then walked out the door to go see his daughter Linnea Huse. 


	2. The Choice

Chapter 1  
  
The Choice  
  
Linnea was laying on her back on her trampoline in the backyard of the 2-story house she called home. She was gazing at the clear blue sky hardly being able to stand the wait before she could see her Uncle Sirius. For as long as she could remember, Uncle Sirius was her favorite relative. He always brought neat presents for her and took her on trips. Linnea noticed that she looked a little like him too. Her hair was a little lighter, but she had the same eyes, dark green and slanted. She figured that was just because he was her mom's brother.   
  
Today they would be taking a trip to the city. Even though she lived in a suburb just outside of London she rarely got to visit it. Her dad is a preacher and didn't like the idea of going into such an "evil city". Still he never objects to wherever Uncle Sirius wanted to take her. It was kind- of odd, he almost seems afraid of Sirius, which to  
  
Linnea seemed absolutely absurd. Sirius was so nice.  
  
At long last, she heard the familiar sound of his motorcycle pull up in the driveway.   
  
Linnea immediately leaped off the trampoline and bounded to the back door. She flew through the house to meet him in the front.  
  
"Hey, how's my girl!" Sirius said jovially.  
  
"Hi Uncle Sirius." Linnea said wrapped in his arms. Can we go now, I want to spend as much time in the city as possible.  
  
"Yes dear just hold on I need to speak with you Mother for a few minutes, ok?"  
  
"Alright, but hurry up." She said bouncing on her tiptoes. "Mom Uncle Sirius is here. He said he wants to talk to you!" Linnea was screaming through the front door by this time.   
  
"Ok dear." Her mom said sounding a bit exasperated.  
  
At this Linnea turned back to her Uncle and said, "Is this another, 'I need to be alone with your mother' times?"  
  
Sirius laughed and said yes, so Linnea decided to go upstairs to her room and wait.   
  
Linnea had noticed that Sirius and her mom didn't seem to get along very well. There were like 12 year old siblings "or a split up married couple," she laughed to herself  
  
After about a half and hour Linnea was getting rather impatient, but knew better than to interrupt conversations between those two. Finally, she heard her Uncle's voice.  
  
"Linnea could you come down here for a minute."  
  
Linnea jumped leapt down the steps to meet her Uncle at the bottom. She smiled up at he, but he had a somber look on his face. Not at all characteristic of his usually peppy self. She followed him into the Living room where her mother was sitting stone-faced not daring to look at either of them.  
  
"Sit down please." Sirius said. But Linnea remained where she was.   
  
"What's going on?" She said warily looking from her mom to Sirius."  
  
"Please," her uncle said earnestly, "I, well we," he said shooting a glance at her mother who seemed to be bound and determined not to look at any of them. "We need to tell you something we should have told you a long time ago."  
  
Linnea simply stared at the two of them. Her mom finally met her eyes, and Linnea could tell that whatever the news was she was not going to like it. She finally took a seat in the throne chair at the opposite side of the room.  
  
"We haven't been completely honest with you." Sirius finally said.   
  
Her mom let out a sigh that clearly meant whatever Sirius was about to say was strictly against her better judgment.  
  
"What do you mean, about what." Linnea said bewildered.  
  
"Well I guess first things first. Um...your mom and I aren't brother and sister."  
  
"What!?" Linnea said in shock.   
  
"Actually at one time we were married."  
  
Linnea was absolutely dumbfounded, but before she could say anything Sirius continued.  
  
"You see we were married for six months, six wonderful months in my opinion. But, then she became pregnant with you and we sort of, well drifted apart."  
  
Linnea's mother gave out a small snort. "Yeah right I packed up my bags and I was outta there in under an hour."  
  
Linnea head was swimming, so many questions filled her mind, and finally she settled on one.  
  
"But why did you leave right after finding out you were pregnant with me. Aren't babies supposed to, you know, bring families together or something."  
  
"Well on most occasions that could be true." Sirius said softly. "But ours was a rare instance."  
  
Her mother gave another "Humph" in the couch across from him, but he ignored her and continued.  
  
"You see I am a wizard."  
  
"Wait a minute, a what?" Linnea was starting to believe Sirius had lost it. But he simply pulled out what looked like a fancy polished piece of wood.  
  
"A wizard, watch." He waved his stick and muttered something that sounded like  
  
"achoo" and the pen sitting on the coffee table in front of her mom came zooming towards him, and he caught it with ease.  
  
"Cool, you mean I have magic powers. How do you do it"? Linnea said excitedly looking over at Sirius.  
  
"Now hold on just a minute. Sirius, you better her tell her the rest." Her mom said with almost a laugh in his direction. "No, don't bother, I will. You see dear it seems your dear daddy-oo over there wants to take you to London so you can go to some freak school and learn magic. A boarding school."  
  
"Really, oh how awesome, well what are we waiting for lets go." Linnea jumped and started to head toward the door.   
  
"Uh-uh just a minute honey. You haven't heard the rest yet." Her mom said in a singsong voice. She seemed to really enjoy watching her only daughter fidget with such excitement and anticipation.  
  
"You see your father,"  
  
"Who's not my real father." Linnea said pointedly.  
  
Her mother pretended she couldn't hear.  
  
".will never agree. Now what will he say to all his co-workers and friends at church?   
  
That he sent his daughter off to some witchcraft school. Oh that will go over real well."  
  
"Mom all this time you lied to me. I mean you could have at least told me that dad wasn't my dad at all. I mean at least Unc.um.Sirius acted a bit like a father.   
  
"Hah, a father is there for you."  
  
"Sirius is over here at least twice a week that is better than some fathers who are divorced."  
  
"Now Linnea," Sirius finally spoke up. "your mother is right to an extent, I have been talking this over with them for years, and we decided it would be up to you. You are going to have to decide. Do you want to go with me and live your life as you were meant to, or do you stay here with the people you have lived with all your life, and continue to live a lie? | | | 


	3. The New Beginning

Chapter 2 The New Beginning  
  
Linnea was stunned. Her whole body was shaking. She had no idea what to say. Then she thought about it. All this time her mother had lied to her. Yes Sirius had as well, but at least he acted more like a father than she treated him. Now that she thought about it, she was really happy when she was around Sirius. The more she sat and reflected on the past eleven years of her life the heavier the solution weighed in her mind. She looked up into her mom's eyes and the message seemed to have been sent.  
  
Her mom looked on the verge of tears but she seemed to know that deep down it was really what her daughter needed to do. "Ok go pack your stuff." Her mom said exasperated.  
  
"ALRIGHT!" Linnea squealed. She took the stairs three at a time, and sprinted to her room and started throwing clothes into a suitcase. She wasn't about to slow down incase she decided to rethink her decision. Bounding down the stairs she stopped mid-way when she saw her dad in the hallway. He looked up at her with pained eyes and she knew that he wasn't going to stop her.  
  
They said long sad goodbyes, and as she walked out she could feel that no matter how much she wanted to stay, there was no tuning back. But in a matter of seconds her mind was turned to something else. "Um...Sirius, where.." She had turned to look at his bike, It was very large, but there was no way her suitcase could possibly fit.  
  
"Well, come on then." Sirius said. "Oh, right, not to worry." He had popped his seat and as Linnea neared she noticed that instead of the engine that was usually in that place, there was a gigantic storage area. Sirius grabbed her suitcase and heaved it in. She looked down and it was gone.  
  
"Where did it go?" She asked in bewilderment.  
  
"Oh it's down there, no worries; it's just a bit of magic." He smiled mischievously at her. She grinned at him and the set off to London.  
  
As they reached the Leaky Cauldron where they often went to get a drink she realized only then that this couldn't be a regular pub.  
  
"Muggles can't see it." Sirius said noticing the questionable look on her face.  
  
"Mug..a.what what."  
  
"Oh sorry, muggles are people with no magical powers. There are some terms you will probably pick up, I don't know all of them, but if you read your spell books you will pick up pretty easily." Linnea's head was swimming again. "Spell books" She thought "How cool is this."  
  
After getting all of her school supplies, they headed back to Sirius's house. "Alright I know this is kind of fast and all, but school starts tomorrow." He said looking concerned  
  
"Tomorrow! Are you crazy, how am I supposed to get ready for anything in that amount of time.  
  
"Don't worry about a thing. I'll be there if you want me too. I will most certainly take you to the train station."  
  
"You sure, because that's kind of fast; I don't know anything about magic or anything. I don't know anyone, or where to go, or anything about where I'm going, I really don't know if this is such a good idea." She spit out these words so fast Sirius barely had time to catch it all before she started to panic.  
  
"Whoa, slow down butterbean you'll be ok really."  
  
That night she tossed and turned thinking out how should would live through the next day, much-a-less the next school term. As morning came, she crawled out of bed and slumped into the kitchen. Sirius was reading the Daily Prophet and sipping tea. She sat down and stared blankly at the newspaper. The moving picture would have probably made her jumped out of her skin this early if she hadn't seen the Evening Prophet the night before.  
  
"Good morning sunshine." Sirius said with a laugh at her gaunt look.  
  
"Oh ha ha." She said, but she smiled nonetheless.  
  
All too soon they were pulling up to King's Cross Station and he was wheeling her trolley down the gates. Finally he stopped in between gateway's 9 and 10. Linnea waited for him to tell her which gate they were going to be at, but he just looked back at her and said  
  
"You ready to run?"  
  
"Uh.sure."  
  
He explained how to enter the barrier she again got the feeling that he was crazy but trusted his judgment. Amazingly they entered into Platform 9 ¾ easily.  
  
"Well let's go find you a compartment then shall we." They worked there way to the back of the train and finally found an empty compartment. Sirius placed her trunk above her seat and they started outside to say there goodbye..that is until they heard. "Oy you guys here's an empty one." It was coming from Linnea's compartment.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry, I was sitting here." Linnea said hoping she sounded polite enough. The girl turned her eyes on Linnea. She was a rather tall and skinny blonde, and looked to be a bit of a Tom Boy judging by her baggy jeans and overly large t-shirt. Linnea noticed that her shirt had "The Weird Sister's on Tour". She had never heard of this band and figured it was a wizard band of some kind.  
  
"Mind some company?" the girl said.  
  
"Uh no not at all." Linnea said timidly. She was absolutely overjoyed. People who she had never met before would spend the entire train ride talking to her. With any luck she would have her first friends by the time she got to school.  
  
"I'm Alexia Malfoy by the way." The girl held out her hand.  
  
"I'm Linnea, Linnea Huse." She said taking it. "Sorry it's my first time on a train."  
  
"Oh that's alright me too." Alexia said. At this moment two other girls entered the compartment. "Oh there you guys are. Linnea this is Parvati Delacour, and Amerie Sky." After they had all gotten introduced Linnea ran outside to see her father.  
  
"So found some friends have you." Linnea smiled up at him, but her smile dropped.  
  
"Sirius, I really am worried about this. I mean what if I get kicked out because I wasn't good enough. Then how do I spend the rest of my life."  
  
"Don't worry honey, I promise that won't happen. I will be writing to you as often as possible. If you need help with anything, just tell me, and you will make friends fast enough." He hugged her. It wasn't like any hug she had gotten from him before. It was a hug of pure love. She felt that no matter what was happening around her, as long as Sirius held on, nothing could happen to her. She was safe.  
  
After a solid minute she was sure he was trying not to cry she boarded the train and it began to speed off. She waved goodbye until the train turned a bend and the station was out of site. As she turned back into her compartment she felt this was the beginning of her new life and she was just going to have to take it in stride. Nothing was going to keep her from achieving everything she could. 


	4. Famous

Linnea turned to sit down and noticed that Amerie, Alexia, and Parvati were all looking at her with in an odd expression.  
  
"Who was that guy you were talking to?" Alexia asked.  
  
"Sirius Black? He's my dad." Linnea responded quite bewildered as to why they were acting so odd.  
  
Amerie looked as if she were going to faint, "Sirius Black, the Sirius Black, omgoodness that is so awesome. He is like so hot...I mean.uh." Everyone looked at Amerie who was now furiously red in the face.  
  
"What are you talking about? And how do you know my dad."  
  
"Everyone knows your dad." Parvati said sounding as if Linnea should obviously know what she was talking about. ".and his god son."  
  
"His what? I didn't know he had another kid. Wait he'd be my brother then right, well who is he then." Linnea was beginning to get concerned. You'd think that her dad would mention if she had a brother.  
  
"Not son, god son." Alexia explained. At that the three of them spent the rest of the train ride explaining and talking to Linnea about her god brother Harry Potter. They seemed to know his life story. Then they went on to tell her how Sirius Black was put in jail for murdering Harry's parents even though he didn't, and eventually being a key player in the final downfall of Lord Voldemort. It was incredible, in the few hours they spent on the train Linnea had learned more about her family history than she had learned the length of her 11 years of life.  
  
"Oh man we better hurry and change I think the trains slowing down." Alexia had stopped talking long enough to realize what was happening. All four of them scrambled out of their compartment and ran to the bathrooms to change.  
  
Linnea was pulling on her hat when she felt the train come to a complete halt. "Whew, that was close." They were all changed and walking outside where they were greeted by a tall burly wizard.  
  
"Alright you four come on you almost missed the boats." They climbed into a small wooden boat and to Linnea's surprise it started to move with out a motor or paddles. "OK first years, after this bend you should get your first view of the castle."  
  
It was like nothing Linnea had ever seen before. It looked like a fortress that she thought no one would dare to go up against. It seemed old but not unstable. There was something about it, a feeling that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. There was no other word for it. It was just magical.  
  
They entered the castle and walked up more and more flights of stairs and down corridors. Finally they entered a small room where a middle aged quite happy looking wizard was waiting for them.  
  
"Good evening first years, I am Professor Remus J. Lupin, Deputy Headmaster and Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. Now in a few moments we will perform the sorting ceremony and you will be sorted into your houses. Those are Slytherin Gryffindor Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. I will be back shortly to lead to the great hall."  
  
Linnea was beginning to panic. Sorting ceremony, what in the world was that? If she wouldn't have been so preoccupied wondering what in the world she would have to do to go to a house she would have noticed that she was not the only one. Many people around her looked just as worried. She only saw her new found friends who seemed to be quite calm. This didn't help matters; they obviously had to know some magic already.  
  
Professor Lupin opened the door and led them out to the great hall. Linnea looked up and noticed that there was no ceiling, just a sky. "odd " she thought, what if there's a storm or something. Not having time to fathom this mystery they stopped in front of the Great Hall facing the teachers. Professor Lupin was carrying a five legged stool and what looked like an old wizard's hat. He then placed the hat on the stool and incredibly, impossibly the hat started to sing:  
  
I am the Hogwarts sorting hat, I can not deal you wrong. I'll tell you where you ought to be, When I have finished my song.  
  
To Gryffindor you may belong, Where they are strong and brave. Their chivalry can not be beat, Many someday they may save.  
  
Or perhaps to grand Hufflepuff, If you possess what they prize. For loyalty and friendship, You can see in their eyes.  
  
Ravenclaw may be your home, If in wit you are the best. They can solve most any riddle, While others have not yet guessed.  
  
The Slytherin's may want you most, Where persistence in the key. If you have a drive to win I may send you there to be.  
  
So just place me on your heads, I have not been wrong before. I'll send you to a similar kind, You can not ask for more.  
  
As the sorting hat finished there was a tumult of applause which died down as Professor Lupin approached the stool once more.  
  
"Ok now when I call you name you will take a seat here and the sorting hat will tell you where you belong.  
  
"Blackwood, Rowana"  
  
A short dark-haired girl walked up and sat down, she seemed absolutely petrified. After about ten seconds the brim or the hat opened and it shouted  
  
"RAVENCLAW!" applause from the one of the middle tables made Linnea Jump and turn around.  
  
As Rowana made her way to the Ravenclaw table Linnea had time to take in just how many people where at this school. At least a thousand students sat waiting for the next kid to be sorted. As she turned back Brian Bruckheimer had just been sorted into Gryffindor.  
  
A few names later Parvati Delacour went to sit on the stool.  
  
"HUFFLEPUFF!" the sorting had bellowed.  
  
Dunst, Robert became the first Slytherin, and before she could believe it Professor Lupin called Huse, Linnea.  
  
Linnea walked slowly up to the stool and looked up at Professor Lupin with apprehension. He gave her a reassuring smile and she sat down. She once again was looking out at the audience who was all watching her, this didn't help her nerves. As soon as the hat slipped over her eyes she heard a voice in her head:  
  
"Oh interesting past interesting but the choice is clear."  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" Linnea jumped off the stool and ran toward the table that was cheering the loudest, and sat on the end hoping someone she knew would be sorted with her. As Alexia Malfoy got sorted into Hufflepuff, Linnea began to get worried.  
  
"What if all three of them end up in Hufflepuff."  
  
But luckily Amerie Skye was sorted into Gryffindor and sat down next to her. Piper Thorne became the next Gryffindor, and finally, Cho Wood was sorted to Slytherin.  
  
The sorting was over. Professor Lupin took the stool and hat away and the chatter only died down when a tall strict looking women in the middle of the staff table stood up.  
  
"Welcome students old and new. For those of you who don't know me I am Professor McGonagall, Headmistress. Now I know all of you are ready to get the welcome feast underway but I must first lay down some rules. The Forbidden Forest is as its name says out of bounds. There is no magic to be done in the corridors, and no one is allowed to leave the grounds of Hogwarts without permission from my self or at least two teachers approval. Thank You, and now, let the feast begin."  
  
Linnea looked back to the table where mountains of food had appeared. Not stopping to ponder how this had happen she dug in. She hadn't thought to eat lunch and hadn't had anything since breakfast that morning. During the feast she met a lot of new people. Piper Thorne and Amerie seemed to be the people she had the most in common with.  
  
After the feast they followed the prefects up to the dormitory. "The password is lomena." The prefect said to them matter-of-factly. Linnea didn't realize how tired she really was until she got to her room. As soon as she pulled the covers on her four-poster and laid down she was out.  
  
She had a very weird dream that night. She felt she was falling, falling past people she knew, her parents, Sirius, and finally was caught, by Professor Lupin. She almost leapt out of bed. She figured the dream was due to all the food she had eaten earlier. She got a drink from the fountain in her room and went back to bed. When she woke up the next morning she had forgotten all about it. 


	5. History of Magic

Linnea's first week proved to be the most fun she had ever had. She loved every minute of every class, especially the people in them. So far she had Potions with Hufflepuffs, Transfigurations with Slytherins, Charms with Ravenclaw, Defense against the Dark Arts with Hufflepuff. Defense against the Dark arts was by far her favorite class. It was all because of the teacher. She really like Professor Lupin. Not in a crush since, but more admired him. Perhaps it was because he was the head of her house but she felt she could tell him anything.  
  
The biggest surprise came after lunch. Linnea had just finished Herbology with Slytherins, and was heading over to the History of Magic classroom with Piper and Amerie.  
  
"I heard the teacher's a ghost." Piper said enthusiastically.  
  
"Oh disgusting." Amerie replied.  
  
Linnea was a little apprehensive; she hadn't seen a ghost since the feast and wasn't exactly looking forward to seeing another one.  
  
They entered the classroom and took seats in the middle. Linnea always wanted to sit in the front but Piper and Amerie wouldn't allow it. The ghost, Professor Binns, introduced himself and started roll-call. His voice was so monotone Linnea felt her eyes began to droop. She could tell this was going to be the most boring class.  
  
"This year the curriculum has been changed." He said sounding quite perturbed at the change in his schedule. I will instead be teaching you about recent history and you will be working your way up from about the past 30 years. You will be learning the finer points of what your parents and Grandparents might have told you about lord Voldemort, Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter, and the Order of the Phoenix."  
  
Linnea thought she was going to whoop with joy. The thing she had wanted to know most about she would spend an entire year earning. Every detail she would know. At the end of class she headed up to dinner with Piper and Amerie totally overjoyed. Amerie and Piper didn't seem as thrilled as she was, but she didn't care. That night Linnea met up with Alexia and Parvati to discuss there first week.  
  
"Aww man have you seen Lupin for an old guy he ain't to shabby lookin'." Alexia started.  
  
"Uh huh, yeah sure Lex." Linnea really missed Alexia's company but still had two classes with her so that wazs something. At this Piper and Amerie showed up "Oh hey guys, Lex Parvati, the is Piper Thorne, Piper this is Alexia Malfoy and Parvati Delacour."  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Oh so what I don't get an introduction?" Amerie said sounding indignant  
  
"Oh I'm sorry Madame. Please pardon my impertinence. Alexia Malfoy, Parvati Delacour may I introduce to you Miss Amerie Sky of Westchester." Everyone snorted to themselves and even Amerie couldn't help but smile.  
  
After about an hour they were shooed of to there dormitories by a prefect and Amerie Piper and Linnea went up to start on their homework. Linnea who had finished all of her homework in class went upstairs to write in her journal. She didn't finish until Ella Chambers, another first year, came up to go to bed.  
  
"Hey, Linnea?" she asked timidly  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Um, is Sirius Black really your dad?"  
  
"Hey, where did you hear that, and why does it matter?" "  
  
Oh its all over school. I heard you didn't know that he was famous so I wanted to give you this." Ella held out a small card with writing. Linnea was quite puzzled so she took it and flipped it over. There looking straight up at her and waving was her dad.  
  
"Where did this come from?" Linnea asked absolutely stupefied.  
  
"It's a wizard card, they come in these." At this she held out a box that said: "Choclate frogs, they're really good and there is a famous witch or wizard card in everyone. Here you can have this one."  
  
"Well thank you Ella." Linnea opened the box and pulled out a card, it had an old man and under the picture was a subtitle that said Albus Dumbledore.  
  
"So this is Dumbledore." Linnea said  
  
"Oh don't tell me you never heard of Dumbledore. Well you wait you'll have loads to learn in History of Magic this year. Well, I'm heading off to bed; I'll see you in the morning. Oh wait, I was wondering."  
  
"What?" Linnea looked at Ella apprehensive face.  
  
"Do you think I could get Sirius' autograph?"  
  
"I'll see." Linnea said laughing to herself. That weekend she spent with Alexia, Parvati, Amerie and Piper. It was like a dream. Everything was going awesome. They all discussed quidditch and the hopefuls for the cup this year. This was all new to Linnea, so they had a lot of fun trying to explain the complicated rules and positions.  
  
"It doesn't get any better than this." Linnea thought. "The classes are a blast, I have great friends, what more could I ask for.  
  
The next weekend before History of Magic class she headed up to talk to Professor Lupin about some homework she had been having trouble with. When she arrived he was with another student. He looked like a much older boy probably fifth or sixth year, burly, in Slytherin. He turned to look who was waiting and saw Linnea. His face was contorted with fury.  
  
"You!" he said. At that he started toward her. "Your son-of-a-bitch dad killed my grandfather. You'll pay."  
  
Linnea panicked she looked for a way out of her predicament and saw a chair almost level with the boy. She just looked from the chair to the boy and concentrated everything on what was about to happen. In a flash the chair whizzed over and hit him straight on the side. Then using all the brain power she could muster she lifted him up directing with her hands and threw him against the wall. Not hard enough to hurt him, just enough to knock the breath out of him.  
  
He started after her again but this time she was ready with her wand. She wanted to hurt him. He had talked bad about her father he had tried to hurt her, she was going to defend herself. 


	6. The Suprise

The next few weeks Linnea was true to herself and in between classes and during lunch she could be found in the library sifting through genealogy books and history books. Her friends were with her a lot of the time and Linnea began to worry how they were getting all of they're homework done.  
  
"...Besides, we are definitely going to be ready for our History of Magic final." Alexia joked after Linnea had pointed this out.  
  
Fall was fast coming to a close and Linnea, was becoming much more accustom to Hogwarts then she ever thought she would. Today was one of Linnea's favorite days. She would have History of magic and Defense Against the Dark Arts, both with Hufflepuffs. History of Magic had become increasingly useful, in Linnea's search for her family's history. Linnea had become closer to Alexia than any of her other friends even though they were no in the same house. They seemed to have a lot in common. But, there was one thing that really brought them together. Alexia seemed to have the same knack for finding trouble that Linnea did.  
  
They were on their way to lunch when Alexia accidentally bumped into Cho Wood, a first year in Slytherin.  
  
"Watch where you're going." She said turning to Alexia.  
  
"Hey you're Malfoy aren't you. Hufflepuff right? Disgrace to the name really. Never thought I see the day when a Malfoy would end up outside of Slytherin, much- a-less Hufflepuff. What your parents must have thought. At that Cho turned on her heel and stalked off to the Great Hall with her nose high in the air.  
  
"What in the world was that all about?" Linnea asked dumbfounded.  
  
Alexia looked as if she was about to chase after Cho and curse the heck out of her. "It's no big deal. She is mistaking me for someone else."  
  
"Lex, she called you Malfoy, that's not bad for a name mix up."  
  
"it's really no big deal." Alexia said and started toward the great hall in a quickened pace.  
  
It didn't look to Linnea that it was "no big deal". But, she let it go and they went to lunch with out another mention of it.  
  
She, Alexia and Piper were sitting in the back of Defense Against the Dark Arts class not paying attention to Professor Lupin's discussion of "Newts: Muggle or Magical" They were only about an hour from freedom. Two days with no teachers and to top it off the first quidditch match of the season. Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw. Linnea still ignorant of the many wonders of quidditch was more excited then any of them.  
  
Apparently they were talking a little too loud because as soon as they heard the bell chime for the end of class Lupin called her up to his desk.  
  
"Excuse us please Miss. Malfoy, and Miss. Thorne." Lupin said politely.  
  
Linnea slumped to his desk waiting for a reprimand, but it never came. "Linnea I wanted to talk to you about your.erm. powers." Lupin said quietly. This was the last thing Linnea wanted to hear.  
  
"Um.ok" She said sitting down in the seat in front of him.  
  
"I understand you don't want people to know about it, but you can't pretend it doesn't exist. Do you understand?" Linnea understood perfectly, but she didn't want to. She didn't want to be different, she had experienced enough of this when she was growing up. Suddenly she remembered something that she hoped would help change the subject.  
  
"Professor?" she said meekly. "Did you used to know my dad?"  
  
He looked at her with a very puzzled expression on his face. "Well, yes as a matter-of-fact. Um I would think I would know your dad being your Godfather.  
  
"My Godfather!?" Linnea said stunned  
  
"Of Course, I am rather surprised your father didn't tell you. I suppose he thought it might affect your relation to me as student, but no matter, to answer your question yes I grew up with your father. In fact I went here with him."  
  
Linnea was stunned. "Godfather? Who knew?" she thought.  
  
"That is off the subject though. I need to know if you will let me work with you on your telekinesis perhaps we can develop it." Lupin was looking intently at Linnea, and she knew he wasn't going to let up on the subject "Ok, fine, but just between us. No one else ok?"  
  
"Alright fair enough - next Thursday at 8 o'clock, come to my office. Now you better hurry up, I think your friends waiting for you." He suddenly picked up his head and said a little louder. "We're done; you can come in now ladies." Alexia and Piper slowly opened the door and poked there head in both with sheepish grins on their faces.  
  
The next day Parvati and Alexia joined Amerie, Piper and Linnea for breakfast. They discussed nothing but quidditch for hours. As they headed down to the quidditch pitch they were greeted by many people they barely knew. It was incredible in the short walk to the quidditch pitch they had met more people than they had in the months they had been at School. A lot of people asked to sit with them including to their amazement several second and even third years. Ella Chambers explained this new found popularity quite quickly.  
  
"Everyone has heard about you stomped Luke Malfoy a couple weeks ago." She said excited. 'No one has ever tried to go up against him before."  
  
"It's not like I wanted to fight him. "Linnea explained. "I mean he started it."  
  
Ella just shrugged and hurried off to find a seat.  
  
"Jeez I almost get killed by a guy who is ten times bigger than me, and all the sudden I'm famous."  
  
"And I'm sure the fact that Sirius Black is your father has nothing to do with it." Parvati said smiling at Linnea.  
  
Their talk was quickly drowned my the thunder of cheers that came when the teams enter the quidditch pitch and the game began. It was like nothing Linnea had ever seen before. She could tell right away that Gryffindor had the upper hand on defense, and quickly caught on to the rules. The match was close, both teams were excellent. Then at once the Ravenclaw seeker went into a spectacular dive, but the Gryffindor seeker was just ahead of him. He pulled out of the dive just in time to brush his toes on the grass and circle the field holding a tiny gold ball with wings on it, the golden snitch. Gryffindor had won the match. On their way back to the castle Linnea swore to herself that no matter what it took she was going to play quidditch for her house team. Little did she know the other four were promising themselves the same thing.  
  
That night Alexia and Parvati spent the night in the Gryffindor Tower, being the weekend they were aloud. They finished their homework and were about to turn in. But, Linnea knew that she couldn't keep it from her friends forever, besides, she needed advice on how to handle her problem.  
  
"Hey girls." she said quietly. "Um.I was wondering if I could get some advice."  
  
The group stopped their chatter and looked up at her.  
  
"What's up?" Alexia asked.  
  
"Well, I was just wondering what you were do if you had telekinesis. Basically, should I just ignore it or what? All it's done is caused me problems."  
  
"Ignore it?" Amerie said. "Why would you want to ignore it? Linnea, you have been given a gift, you can't sit by and watch it fade away."  
  
Everyone was looking at Amerie now obviously in awe of her sincerity compared to her usual ditsyness. But, she was right.  
  
"Well that was easy." Parvati said. "Besides, you could use that to your advantage you know. I mean think about it, no one would mess with you, 'cause you could just throw a desk at them. And, too top it all off, private lessons with Lupin. I mean it just doesn't get any better"  
  
"Um, he's my Godfather."  
  
"Oh, no way, that is so awesome." Parvati said.  
  
Linnea continued, "What if everyone thinks I'm weird, and no one like me. Then what do I do?"  
  
"Oh stop complaining." Piper said exasperated. "Remember where you are? You are in the center of the strange and the unusual, if anything, people will like you more for it."  
  
"Alright, alright now I let you ladies spend the night over here, can you please try to get a little bit of sleep?" Professor Lupin had walked down from his quarters above the boy's dorms.  
  
"Sorry Professor." They said in unison.  
  
Shaking his head he returned upstairs muttering something that soundly oddly like "girls." After giggling over their head-of-house for a few minutes they decided that it was indeed time for them to finally turn in. Linnea smiled to herself knowing that no matter what happened her friends would be there for her. 


	7. The Useless Gift

The next few weeks Linnea was true to herself and in between classes and during lunch she could be found in the library sifting through genealogy books and history books. Her friends were with her a lot of the time and Linnea began to worry how they were getting all of they're homework done.  
  
".Besides, we are definitely going to be ready for our History of Magic final." Alexia joked after Linnea had pointed this out.  
  
Fall was fast coming to a close and Linnea, was becoming much more accustom to Hogwarts then she ever thought she would. Today was one of Linnea's favorite days. She would have History of magic and Defense Against the Dark Arts, both with Hufflepuffs. History of Magic had become increasingly useful, in Linnea's search for her family's history. Linnea had become closer to Alexia than any of her other friends even though they were no in the same house. They seemed to have a lot in common. But, their was one thing that really brought them together. Alexia seemed to have the same knack for finding trouble that Linnea did.  
  
They were on their way to lunch when Alexia accidentally bumped into Cho Wood, a first year in Slytherin.  
  
"Watch where you're going." She said turning to Alexia.  
  
"Hey you're Malfoy aren't you. Hufflepuff right? Disgrace to the name really. Never thought I see the day when a Malfoy would end up outside of Slytherin, much- a-less Hufflepuff. What your parents must have thought. At that Cho turned on her heel and stalked off to the Great Hall.  
  
"What in the world was that all about?" Linnea asked dumbfounded.  
  
Alexia looked as if she was about to chase after Cho and curse the heck out of her. "It's no big deal. She is mistaking me for someone else."  
  
"Lex, she called you Malfoy, that's not bad for a name mix up."  
  
"No, she thinks I'm related to the Slytherin Malfoys, the Malfoys who for years were into like the Dark Arts. They followed You-Know-Who. But I am only very distantly related to them. So.it's no big deal."  
  
It didn't look to Linnea that it was "no big deal". But, she let it go and they went to lunch with out another mention of it.  
  
She, Alexia and Piper were sitting in the back of Defense Against the Dark Arts class not paying attention to Professor Lupin's discussion of "Newts: Muggle or Magical" They were only about an hour from freedom. Two days with no teachers and to top it off the first quidditch match of the season. Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw. Linnea still ignorant of the many wonders of quidditch was more excited then any of them. Ever since her first flying lesson with Madam Kreger she had loved to fly. It was like nothing she had ever experienced before; it was as if she belonged in the sky.  
  
Apparently they were talking a little too loud because as soon as they heard the bell chime for the end of class Lupin called her up to his desk.  
  
"Excuse us please Miss. Malfoy, and Miss. Thorne." Lupin said politely.  
  
Linnea slumped to his desk waiting for a reprimand, but it never came. "Linnea I wanted to talk to you about your.erm. powers." Lupin said quietly. This was the last thing Linnea wanted to hear.  
  
"Um.ok" She said sitting down in the seat in front of him.  
  
"I understand you don't want people to know about it, but you can't pretend it doesn't exist. Do you understand?" Linnea understood perfectly, but she didn't want to. She didn't want to be different, she had experienced enough of this when she was growing up. Suddenly she remembered something that she hoped would help change the subject.  
  
"Professor?" she said meekly. "Did you used to know my dad?"  
  
He looked at her with a very puzzled expression on his face. "Well, yes as a matter-of-fact. Um I would think I would know your dad being your Godfather.  
  
"My Godfather!?" Linnea said stunned  
  
"Of Course, I am rather surprised your father didn't tell you. I suppose he thought it might affect your relation to me as student, but no matter, to answer your question yes I grew up with your father. In fact I went here with him."  
  
Linnea was stunned. "Godfather? Who knew?" she thought.  
  
"That is off the subject though. I need to know if you will let me work with you on your telekinesis perhaps we can develop it." Lupin was looking intently at Linnea, and she knew he wasn't going to let up on the subject "Ok, fine, but just between us. No one else ok?"  
  
"Alright fair enough - next Thursday at 8 o'clock, come to my office. Now you better hurry up, I think your friends waiting for you." He suddenly picked up his head and said a little louder. "We're done; you can come in now ladies." Alexia and Piper slowly opened the door and sheepishly poked there head in.  
  
The next day Parvati and Alexia joined Amerie, Piper and Linnea for breakfast. They discussed nothing but quidditch for hours. As they headed down to the quidditch pitch they were greeted by many people they barely knew. It was incredible in the short walk to the quidditch pitch they had met more people than they had in the months they had been at School. A lot of people asked to sit with them including to their amazement several second and even third years. Ella Chambers explained this new found popularity quite quickly.  
  
"Everyone has heard about you stomped Luke Malfoy a couple weeks ago." She said excited. 'No one has ever tried to go up against him before."  
  
"It's not like I wanted to fight him. "Linnea explained. "I mean he started it."  
  
Ella just shrugged and hurried off to find a seat.  
  
"Jeez I almost get killed by a guy who is ten times bigger than me, and all the sudden I'm famous."  
  
"And I'm sure the fact that Sirius Black is your father has nothing to do with it." Parvati said smiling at Linnea.  
  
Their talk was quickly drowned my the thunder of cheers that came when the teams enter the quidditch pitch and the game began. It was like nothing Linnea had ever seen before. She could tell right away that Gryffindor had the upper hand on defense, and quickly caught on to the rules. The match was close, both teams were excellent. Then at once the Ravenclaw seeker went into a spectacular dive, but the Gryffindor seeker was just ahead of him. He pulled out of the dive just in time to brush his toes on the grass and circle the field holding a tiny gold ball with wings on it, the golden snitch. Gryffindor had won the match. On their way back to the castle Linnea swore to herself that no matter what it took she was going to play quidditch for her house team. Little did she know the other four were promising themselves the same thing.  
  
That night Alexia and Parvati spent the night in the Gryffindor Tower, being the weekend they were aloud. They finished their homework and were about to turn in. But, Linnea knew that she couldn't keep it from her friends forever, besides, she needed advice on how to handle her problem.  
  
"Hey girls." she said quietly. "Um.I was wondering if I could get some advice."  
  
The group stopped their chatter and looked up at her.  
  
"What's up?" Alexia asked.  
  
"Well, I was just wondering what you were do if you had telekinesis. Basically, should I just ignore it or what? All it's done is caused me problems."  
  
"Ignore it?" Amerie said. "Why would you want to ignore it? Linnea, you have been given a gift, you can't sit by and watch it fade away."  
  
Everyone was looking at Amerie now obviously in awe of her sincerity compared to her usual ditsyness. But, she was right.  
  
"Well that was easy." Parvati said. "Besides, you could use that to your advantage you know. I mean think about it, no one would mess with you, 'cause you could just throw a desk at them. And, too top it all off, private lessons with Lupin. I mean it just doesn't get any better"  
  
"Um, he's my Godfather."  
  
"Oh, no way, that is so awesome." Parvati said. "Well actually that kind-of stinks for you cause he probably isn't hot to you is he."  
  
"Ok, can we please stop talking about our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Alexia moaned.  
  
"I mean, he's like 40 or something. Linnea, almost disgusted with her friends talk of her godfather in that fashion continued.  
  
"What if everyone thinks I'm weird, and no one like me. Then what do I do?"  
  
"Oh stop complaining." Piper said exasperated. "Remember where you are? You are in the center of the strange and the unusual, if anything, people will like you more for it."  
  
"Alright, alright now I let you ladies spend the night over here, can you please try to get a little bit of sleep?" Professor Lupin had walked down from his quarters above the boy's dorms.  
  
"Sorry Professor." They said in unison.  
  
Shaking his head he returned upstairs muttering something that soundly oddly like "girls." After giggling over their head-of-house for a few minutes they decided that it was indeed time for them to finally turn in. Linnea smiled to herself knowing that no matter what happened her friends would be there for her. 


	8. Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

Chapter 7

Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

Dear Linnea,

            I am happy to hear you are doing well in school and have found some friends.  There was no doubt in my mind you would fit in.  Which is why I have enclosed a gift for you.  The blank piece of parchment included in this letter is in fact a map of Hogwarts. 

            Linnea looked at the tattered piece of paper that had fallen out of her letter earlier.

            "Ok he has definitely blown a casket this time."

            The paper was very tattered and looked very old.  And she almost through it away before reading the letter, but the fact that it was a message from her father wouldn't let her take time to do anything else.

            This map is hidden with a spell, simply tap your wand on the paper and say 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good.' and the map will appear.  When you have completed using it ALWAYS clear it by tapping your wand and saying 'mischief managed' I must warn you to use this map with great caution.  Do not tell anyone of it who you think might tell an authority figure.  If you choose to tell anyone, keep it within a small group of friends, I am trusting you to use this map wisely Linnea I believe in your maturity and responsibility I know you won't let me down

                                                                                                            Love,

                                                                                                               Sirius   

            Looking around the crowded Gryffindor common room Linnea snuck around the wall and went up to her dormitory.  She did this not only because if it did work (which she highly doubted) she would be already breaking one of the guidelines Sirius had put on it.  Also if it didn't work she didn't want to look stupid muttering words under her breath and prodding an old piece of parchment.

            _"Well," she said to herself, __"Here goes nothing."  _

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

            Nothing.

            " What I thought, just a jo…"

            But, something was happening amazinglywords started to form on the page.

"Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs proudly present:

The Marauder's Map

            But, that wasn't then end of it, lines starting on the outer edge of the paper skated toward the center and branched out it was a map of Hogwarts.  The most amazing part was  the small dots moving around the page, all with headings above them.  It showed Professor Snape pacing his office, Kreger, the games keeper was outside by the garden and Linnea Huse was in the Gryffindor Tower.  Linnea was in a state of shock and awe.  She held the school in the palm of her hands.  Gazing at the outer parts of the maps she noticed paths going off the map seeming to lead in the village outside of Hogwarts, they seemed to go from the school like…

            "Tunnels" Alexia said.  "They are tunnels to Hogsmeade village."

            Linnea and Alexia were outside by the quidditch pitch with Amerie, Parvati, and Piper.  She had just showed them the map.  There was no way she was going to keep this from them.

            "This is awesome."  Piper added.  "We could go to Hogsmeads with out anyone knowing.  Third years and up are the only ones allowed to go."

            "I don't know."  Parvati said.  "I mean, that's real not safe, we could get caught."

            "I have to agree with Parvati."  Linnea said.  "Besides, I promised Sirius I would be responsible with it."

            "Besides," Amerie replied, "its quite and old map right, I am sure people know about these tunnels by now."

            Alexia and Piper obviously thought that not using this map to get into Hogsmeade was a direct insult to the makers of it.  

            "It's obvious that this is what it was used for, I mean why else would the tunnels be on there."  Alexia argued

            "Look!" Linnea said, "I agree with all of you.  I think that it would be a great way to get into Hogsmeade, but don't you think it would be a little obvious if a couple of first years just showed up in the middle of the village.  I mean c'mon.  I think that Sirius gave this to me for a reason and I'm not going to use it for breaking rules until I know more about it alright."

            That seemed to be good enough for everyone.

            "Whoa we better hurry; we're going to be late for class."  Amerie said.

            History of Magic class had turned out to be not the all knowledge class Linnea thought it would be.  She never thought her history could sound so boring.  Even the wizard duel between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort was less interesting as trying to balance your wand on the end of your finger.  Linnea new this for a fact, she had tried.

            But, there was something keeping her awake. She would be seeing Lupin tonight for her first lesson.  As much as she wanted to deny it, she couldn't help looking forward to heightening her skills.

            Linnea pulled out the map once again to look at it more closely.  There she was in History of Magic class, McGonagall in her office, and Lupin in his office_. Hmm must not have a class right now. _

            She cleared it quickly as she saw another Hufflepuff began to look over her shoulder.

            As she looked down at the cleared map becoming more and more tired at listening to Professor Binn's continued drawling she suddenly came up with an idea.  "Wonder what else this map could do?" she thought

            She then began to mutter nonsense phrases under her breath to see if she could get the map to show some other secret. 

            "I Linnea Huse command you to show your secrets."

            Nothing.

            "Oh come on please."

            Suddenly words started to form:

Mooney wishes to protest the continuance of your jibber.

Padfoot concedes and would like to add get a life.

            Linnea was absolutely abashed.  The Map just insulted her.  Not the map, but the _people inside the map! _

            Linnea was officially freaked out.   She didn't even notice Alexia staring at her with an odd expression.  

            After class she walked to lunch deep in thought.  She had written a letter to Sirius at the end of class and wanted to send it quite soon.  She was not worried by any measure, simply curious at the odd present Sirius had written her. 

            Piper went with her to deliver the letter, and on the way back they noticed a sign.

First Year Flying Lessons

Every Tuesday until Christmas break

Held at 2:00 pm 

Gryffindor – Slytherin

4:00pm 

Hufflepuff – Ravenclaw

            "Ah man that's sweet!"  Piper said

            "Oh man yeah, c'mon lets go tell Amerie."

            Linnea and Piper skirted up to the common room and found Amerie.  She already knew ("spoils my fun" said piper)

            "I hear the teacher is real hot.  A Professor Bauer or something."

            "Yeah sounds like a charmer" Piper joked.

            Later that night Linnea said goodbye to Amerie and Piper and headed down to Lupin's office.  It was a rather bright room with amazing creatures and pictures in it.  She saw a picture on his desk of four guys who looked like they were only 16 or 17.  They were smiling and waving up at her. She noticed one that had to be Lupin his face hadn't aged much, and one that looked like her father.  She didn't recognize the other two.

            Just then Lupin entered.

            "Sorry I'm late, just talking to Professor Snape.  So, where should we start?"

            Linnea just looked at him.

            "Um, alright, I guess I will get the ball rolling then" he said jovially.  "Do you know how much you can do?"

            "Well, no not really.  I mean it kind of heightens I guess when I get mad but…"

            "Well that's a good start." 

            For the rest of the evening Professor Lupin worked to try to bring her telekinesis to the level it was when she was attacked by Luke.  When she returned to Gryffindor tower, she noticed she was a bit more tired.  Not physically, just mentally fatigued something, she had to admit, she had never been before.  She was quite looking forward to their next meeting, and as her mind drifted into a deep sleep she imagined herself, The first female Minister of Magic.   


	9. The Bully

Chapter 8  
The Bully  
"Huse, hey Huse"  
Linnea looked up into the eyes of Piper.  
"Aww, man you had to wake me up..I was just having the most beautiful dream about this really hot guy. And we were."  
"Alright, spare me please" exclaimed Piper with a laugh. "Hey, your gunna be having some nightmares here pretty soon if you don't get up. We have to be at potions in 15 minutes."  
"WHAT!!!!!"  
Linnea leapt out of bed and sped around her four-poster to her trunk and kicked it open. Piper simply backed up and watched tying to suppress the fits of giggles that were creeping up on her.  
This hadn't been the first time Linnea had been late.  
"She is notorious for it, even back in grade school she was bad." Alexia had said in a recent conversation about their tardy friend.  
Linnea was ready to go in 3 minutes flat, a record time for her.  
"Geez good thing I showered last night. Holy Cow!"  
Piper was use to this kind of rambling for Linnea as they raced to class.  
Piper was best at waking Linnea and especially waiting on her. She always threatened to leave her behind but deep down Linnea knew that it was a sign of true friendship. Piper would always be there for her, no matter what.  
  
After class Piper, Linnea, and Amerie made their way down to lunch until Linnea remembered she had left her last quill in professor Snape's room.  
"Want us to come with you?" asked Amerie.  
"Nah go ahead, I'll meet ya in a few minutes."  
Linnea made her way back down to the dungeons but had to stop as she heard two people having a furious argument. Linnea would have kept going but she recognized one of the voices as Luke Malfoy. She peeked around the corner and saw him bullying a second year Gryffindor girl. The girl was small and very tanned. She had jet black hair and big brown eyes, which at the present time were on the verge of tears.  
"I asked you a question," spat Luke. "Where is your broom."  
"Hey." Linnea said storming down the hall.  
Luke and the girl both looked up at her. The girl looked relieved but still scared, and Luke looked bewildered until he recognized who it was.  
"Oh man," he said, eyes blazing. "You are so dead."  
He let go of the second year and charged Linnea.  
"GO." Linnea shouted at her.  
The girl looked frightened at the both of them but turned on her heels and bolted.  
Linnea wasn't scared this time, but determined. Something she shouldn't have been. She focused on a near-by candle stick and made it fly at his head. But nothing happened. Try as she might her powers weren't working.  
Luke lifted her off the ground easily and through her against the opposite wall.  
"Yeah, try to pull that shit again why don't ya. No Lupin to save you now."  
Linnea was beginning to realize he was right. If Lupin hadn't been their last time he would have gotten to her anyway. She charged at him with all the power she could muster and tried to knock him down. She didn't figure his weight against hers. She merely bounced off his muscular stomach and fell to the floor.  
He looked down on her and laughed. Then he pulled out his wand.  
  
"Wonder what's taking Linnea so long" Piper said.  
Piper and Amerie were now finishing their sandwiches and getting ready to go to their next class.  
"Snape's probably lecturing her on leaving her things in his classroom again." Amerie said with exasperation.  
But Linnea didn't turn up for her next class either. At the end of class Professor Lupin called Piper and Amerie up. Alexia and Parvati went with them.  
"So?" said Professor Lupin. "I wouldn't usually worry about it, but I have a meeting with her tonight."  
"We don't know where she is," said Amerie  
"Yeah she went to get her quill she left in Snape's class and didn't come back," added Piper.  
Alexia and Parvati looked up at Piper in shock.  
Just then Alexis Herrington burst through the door.  
"Professor, I'm sorry to bother you sir, did you have first year Gryffindors today?"  
"Yes, Alexis. Why?"  
"Was anyone missing?"  
"Why?"  
"Please I need to know Professor."  
Lupin sighed. "Yes, Linnea Huse, now why are you so histeri."  
But he didn't have time to finish because Alexis had bolted out the door. Alexia went after her.  
"Lex, where are you going?" called Parvati.  
"I think she might know something." Alexia called back.  
Lupin shook his head. "She is wasting her time, Alexis is always in here telling me how people keep trying to curse her, and the next person that is going to get beat up. It gets rather tiring at times."  
The three girls just stared.  
"Look gals, I promise we are not going to find Linnea in the hospital wing with a rare tropical disease. She probably just got caught up somewhere."  
They all knew that that wasn't like Linnea at all. Classes were the thing Linnea enjoyed more than anyone they knew. But they didn't have long to ponder before they heard hurried footsteps and then..  
"PROFESSOR!!!!! PARVATI, PIPER, AMERIE"  
Professor Lupin jumped out of his chair and hopped over his desk. The others followed.  
"Professor, Linnea she, well she needs your help, hurry."  
They followed Alexia as she raced back to the dungeons.  
Lex, what are you." Piper started.  
But Alexia was pointing up at the ceiling. There was Linnea strung up by her hands. Her mouth was duct taped and her feet bound as well. She was looking down at them with reproachful eyes having left her up their so long.  
Piper was holding back the urge to laugh incredibly loud while Amerie was bouncing on her toes.  
"Oh I hope she's alright. Hurry Professor, get her down."  
Professor Lupin looked neither amused nor worried, but very grave. He brought her down and removed her bindings.  
"Who did it, Linnea," he said seriously.  
Linnea looked up at him she noticed a look of true concern. But she couldn't tell him as she remembered the rather one sided discussion she had had with Luke as he was ting her to the ceiling. It was a threat, and he could get into trouble for it, but unfortunately Linnea also knew that he would see too what he said.  
She simply shrugged her shoulders.  
"Doesn't matter." And she began to walk back to the common room.  
Piper grabbed her shoulder. "Linnea?"  
Linnea pushed her off.  
"Leave me alone"  
Piper looked back at them.  
"Let her go." Professor Lupin said. "I will see her tonight, I guarantee it"  
  
"Lomena" Linnea said. The portrait swung open and Linnea stepped inside the Gryffindor common room. It was empty as everyone was at dinner except for.  
"Linnea, are you alright."  
It was the girl that Luke was bullying.  
"Yeah I'm fine." She said. "How do you know me?"  
"Oh your name is all over the school because of your dad, but Professor Lupin was the one who told me who you were. I'm Alexis, by the way, Alexis Herrington."  
"Nice to meet you."  
"I just wanted to thank you for what you did, you really shouldn't have though. I mean that guy is like five times as big as you. Why the heck did you go after him anyway."  
"Long story."  
"Well anyway, thanks again it was really great of you to get him off me, I am sorry for what he did to you. If there is anything I can do to make it up to you."  
"Yeah..shut-up."  
Linnea turned and made her way to the dormitory.  
"Don't listen to her Alexis."  
Piper and Amerie had sneaked in while Alexis was talking. "She is really stressed right now." Amerie continued.  
  
Professor Lupin sat in his office waiting for Linnea trying to figure out the best way to find out who had bullied her that afternoon. What he wasn't expecting was the conversation that would follow.  
Linnea walked in at exactly 8 o'clock and with out blinking said, "professor, I want you to tell me about my dad."  
"What?"  
"My dad, why does everyone know him, how did he contribute to the downfall of the Lord Voldemort, everything.  
"Umm, ok Linnea, if you're sure you want to know."  
"Of course, why wouldn't I want to know?"  
"Never mind. Ok, so, where to begin. Your father was in a league call The Order of the Phoenix. It held some of the greatest Wizards and Witches of the age. From Albus Dumbledore, to William Whitaker. The Order of the Phoenix was a group made of people fighting for the right. You see Linnea during this time Voldemort, whom I assume you already know a bit about through your classes."  
Linnea nodded.  
"Well Voldemort was fought by these people and was eventually brought down by.."  
"Harry Potter, I know, I am talking about after Voldemort came back. What did my dad do?"  
"Well they brought the old crowd back together and continued their fight against evil. This time they were a little more prepared. Dumbledore had made sure that all precautions were taken. Unfortunately he was working against the system. The Minister of Magic at the present, Cornelius Fudge, did not believe Voldemort had returned and would not listen to anyone who believed otherwise. Voldemort's followers were fewer, and he had thankfully not reached his full potential as a wizard when the order found him by way of Harry.  
The order literally had duels with his followers. Many died on both ends including."  
Lupin faltered. It was very painful to bring back the memories of that night.  
Well on the opposing end, the more prominent members that were lost, were Knot, Crabbe, Goyle, and of course as you already know Lucius Malfoy. "  
"Is that Luke's Grandfather?"  
"Yes, Luke was named after him I believe, but he goes by Luke. Anyway, Albus Dumbledore was the last to die of our group that night. Just before Voldemort was finally defeated for good, he somehow broke through Albus' magic and was able to curse him. He killed Albus Dumbledore. The greatest Wizard, I believe, of all time." Your father was by his side and the power Voldemort had to emanate to kill Albus left him open for a matter of seconds in which your father managed to shoot him, and the rest is history."  
Linnea was looking at Lupin with an expression he could not read.  
"Ahem, are you alright Linnea."  
"What? Yeah, I'm fine, just, you know, taking it all in."  
"I see. Well I think that is about enough for one night eh?"  
"Yeah sure." Linnea said obviously still deep in thought.  
"So I will see you next week Tuesday right?"  
"Uh huh." Linnea simply stared in to space.  
Lupin crossed his desk and pulled her up out of her seat.  
"Linnea really its time for you to go back to your common room. I believe you have some homework."  
  
"He was telling the truth."  
Linnea was sitting up in her four-poster, it was very late, but Linnea couldn't sleep.  
"My father did murder his grandfather, I would be mad to I guess"  
"But he was a bad person." She said aloud. "He had it coming."  
That night Linnea dreamed about the day she had left her parents, only this time Sirius wasn't there. She flew away on the back of a dove, not to London, but to her father's church. She felt something in the pit of her stomach. Something was waiting for her in their. But did she really want to know what it was. She noticed a lot of people going in to the Church building. Some of her parents friends, even some of her friends. Then she saw Sirius.  
"Sirius what is going on in there?  
He simply passed her and then she knew. She knew what was inside the Church building. She knew that as soon as she walked into there she would be living the worst kind of nightmare, she wanted to run so very far away, but she couldn't. The front doors seemed to be looming at her.  
"Please oh please no. NO!" 


	10. and life goes on

Chapter 9  
.and life goes on.  
  
Linnea sat bolt upright and breathing hard. She was drenched in cold sweat. It was the most emotionally trying dream she had ever had.  
  
It was five in the morning and there was no way Linnea was getting back to sleep, so she went down stairs to sit by the fire in the common room, but she was not alone.  
  
"Ella?"  
  
Ella Chambers was sitting in a chair by the fire. She seemed to be quite troubled herself.  
  
"What are you doing up Ella, do you know what time it is."  
  
"Do you?" Ella snapped.  
  
Linnea was taken aback by her harshness. It wasn't like Ella at all. She could probably get the award for quietest person at Hogwarts.  
  
"Yes I just couldn't get back to sleep. Are you alright?"  
  
"Fine, couldn't be better. Why would you think something is wrong? Do I seem upset to you, because I'm not upset."  
  
Linnea couldn't believe it. She had never seen Ella so uptight before. She tried to think of something to say, but instead.  
  
"Be right back Ella, Just stay there."  
  
She ran upstairs and grabbed one of her letters from Sirius and hurried back down.  
  
"Here."  
  
Inside the letter was an autographed picture of Sirius Black, smiling and winking up at Ella.  
  
"I got this a little while ago, I just kept forgetting to give it to you."  
  
"Thanks Linnea. It was really nice of you to do that, you didn't have to."  
  
"So will you tell me what is wrong now?"  
  
Ella looked up at Linnea with a look of foreboding.  
"It's not that big of a deal really." She finally said. "It's just that I am kind of stressed out. See my family expects a lot of me here. And I don't really want to be anyone special. I just don't want that kind of responsibility you know. And my dad is upset because I didn't make the quidditch team."  
  
"First years aren't aloud anyway are they."?  
  
"Well no of course not, but it has happened before, so why not to me right. That is of course according to my family." I know that other people have it worse off than me, and there really is no reason for me to act this way, its just that I feel I have no one to turn to. I feel lost. Sometimes I feel like I don't even want to be here."  
  
Linnea sat quite still trying to absorb everything Ella was saying. Linnea had no idea what it felt like to have no one to turn too. She had always had someone to talk to when she felt bad or lonely. She didn't know what to say.  
  
"Well," she finally said. "You can always talk to me if you need to, I mean, I'm not the best counselor, but I don't want you to feel like you have no where to turn. Right now though, I think it might be a good idea to get some sleep. You look like you haven't gone to bed at all tonight."  
  
"I haven't"  
  
"See there. You're going to be crabby in the morning if your not careful. Good thing we don't have any morning classes tomorrow. Go get some sleep."  
  
"Ok, and thanks a lot Linnea, You probably don't know how much it means to me to know that someone cares enough to listen to me. See you tomorrow."  
  
"Alright, good night Ella."  
  
As Ella walked upstairs Linnea couldn't help but feel better. This is what is real not stupid dreams.  
  
The next Tuesday came all to soon for Linnea. She had begun to dread flying lessons. Not for what she learned which was incredibly fun, but who she was with. It had become a sort-of weekly torture.  
  
"Well look who it is." Cho Wood scoffed as she made her way down to the quidditch pitch. "The fabulous five.oops you seem to be missing some people. Where are your little Hufflepuff friends"?  
  
"Just ignore it." Amerie reminded them as Linnea and Piper clinched their fists in anger.  
  
"Today," Mr. Bauer began, "we will practice speed."  
Linnea looked across at the menacing looks she was getting from the Slytherins that this was going to be more than just a practice run around the field.  
  
They mounted their brooms and made their way to the end of the pitch following Mr. Bauer.  
  
"Line up in four rows," He called.  
  
Not surprisingly the first row was Slytherin Boys, the Second row, Slytherin Girls, the third row held Linnea and the other Gryffindor Girls, while the last row held the boys of Gryffindor  
  
Cho looked menacingly across the t Linnea who had "coincidently" lined up next to her.  
  
"When I blow my whistle speed across the pitch as fast as you can while still maintaining control of your broom. Let's make a sort of contest out of it shall we. No points on the line now so it's all in good fun."  
  
Linnea Piper and Amerie looked at each other and new that however they got across the pitch it would not be in "good fun" against the Slytherins.  
  
Mr. Bauer blew the first whistle and John Basely, Jacoba Thompson, Jonathon Oakley, and Ella Chambers sped across the pitch. Unfortunately, John Basely of Slytherin won.  
  
The next group went, and Aaron Seeburger of Gryffindor won. Next Piper sped across with incredible speed. Linnea had never seen anything like it. But she was up next, and before she new it she had laid down flat on her broomstick and sped off. Cho was barely in front of her as she urged her broom onward. She creped up on Cho and was almost right next to her when suddenly Cho leaned to the left and made Linnea veer off. She crossed the finish line second to last just in front of Richard Pucey. Amerie finished in second to end the first race.  
  
On and on they went, by twos until only Piper and Jason Isaacs remained. (Cho had been beaten on her second race). Piper sped across the pitch in her record time blowing away Jason and coming to a halt amongst the tumult of applause from the Gryffindors.  
  
"Piper, Where is the world did you learn to fly like that." Linnea said in awe as they made there way back to the common room.  
  
"Dunno," she replied shrugging her shoulders. "Just kinda, picked it up."  
  
After dinner Alexia and Parvati met up with the others and learned that Alexia and a Ravenclaw girl Breena Brighthart had tied. "That's awesome Lex," they all said together.  
  
That night Linnea made her way to Professor Lupin's office and noticed the door was closed. Wondering if he had possibly forgotten their meeting she started to knock but the door cracked open. Linnea heard muffled voices coming from inside and recognized them immediately.  
  
"Thanks so much Professor Snape." Lupin said sounding relieved  
  
"Yes well just don't forget, I won't always be able to remind you every month you know."  
  
"Yes yes of course, now if you will excuse I am sorry but I have a meeting in a matter of minutes Lupin said hurriedly. At these words Linnea heard parchment ruffling and the distinct sound of Lupin rising from his desk. Footsteps began coming toward the door, and in a panic Linnea jumped up and ran back down the hall as quietly as she could and turned around quickly to see Snape and Lupin exiting his office still deep in conversation. Lupin looked around seeing Linnea and sighed.  
  
"Ah there you are."  
  
Snape merely glanced at Linnea with his look of menace and stalked off to his office.  
  
Linnea made her way into Lupin's office realizing that she couldn't suppress asking about it.  
  
"What was Snape doing here?" she asked nonchalantly.  
  
"What, of yes, um, he was just you know visiting."  
  
"I.well.I kind of heard you guys talking."  
  
"Oh, he was just reminding me to take some medicine, I have been feeling a bit under the weather, and Snape was kind enough to fix a potion for me. I am no good with potions you see."  
  
This satisfied Linnea and they continued with their lessons.  
  
"Ok, now I realize you want to keep this between us and all, but you really need to practice outside of these lessons. There is only so much I can do here. I need you to at least once a day try to train you mind to move small objects, I would prefer if you could summon them, but any little bit is fine. This is going to take more from you than I can do alone."  
  
As the lesson progressed Linnea could, though with difficulty, lift the chair across from her about a foot off the ground.  
  
"That's good, that's good. It's a start most definitely."  
  
Linnea was quite proud of herself, but lost focus and made the chair drop on Lupin's foot."  
  
"Oh, geez sorry professor."  
  
"No, no" he wheezed. "We're ok here. Excuse me."  
  
He ducked under her desk and let out a huge amount of air. When he came back up he was smiling once again. "Well.ahem.I think that will do it for the evening. Remember please practice."  
  
"Alright, thank you professor. See you tomorrow in class."  
  
"Alright kid, see ya then."  
  
Linnea though did not make her way back up to the Gryffindor common room; instead she headed toward the owlery. She had a letter for her parents she had yet to deliver. They had been writing faithfully to her since she came to Hogwarts, and Linnea was not about to slouch on her end of the deal.  
  
"Orion." She called as she made her way across the long rows of owls. Her snowy owl fluttered to the nearest perch and gave a soft hoot of approval at the sight of her letter.  
  
"It's going to my parents alright."  
  
He clicked his beak to show he understood and flew out the window. She watched him for a moment fly into the darkness then finally made her way back to the common room. For the first time, she was really looking forward to leaving Hogwarts and being able to see her parents again. 


	11. The Five Marauderettes

Chapter 10  
The five Maruaderettes "All right Linnea," Alexia said that Saturday as all five friends sat around a big oak tree.  
  
"Alright what?"  
  
Piper and Alexia looked at each other .  
"When are we going to do something with that map?" Piper finally said.  
  
It was very cold as December crept upon the Hogwarts grounds and Linnea looked down at her feet. The truth was she had been giving the map a lot of thought, and was ready and willing to go on an adventure the question was when and how.  
  
"Um.yeah, soon, real soon. I just have a few kinks to work out."  
  
"Well work 'em out a little faster, will ya."  
  
"Yeah sure."  
  
That night Piper and Linnea played a rousing game of wizard in which Linnea won, a mild surprise for her as Piper usually had the upper hand in that game. They worked on their homework until they could barely keep their eyes open. Piper and Amerie then began to make their way to bed.  
  
"You coming or what Li.Li.Linnea," Amerie yawned.  
  
"Yeah in a bit, don't wait up for me ok, I got a few things to do first."  
  
"Alright, suite yourself."  
  
Linnea watched them up the stairs until she heard the dorm room door close. As the common room came more and more empty, Linnea reached in her back pocket and pulled out the Marauder's Map.  
  
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." She muttered.  
  
The map formed and she was looking down at a small inkblot sitting exactly where she was sitting labeled Linnea Huse.  
  
All day she had been thinking about where she would go that night, for she had decided that tonight was the night to test her map. She figured that outside the school would be safest as she would be away from prying teachers. The week before, she had the map show her how to get into the tunnels and it didn't seem too hard. Unfortunately the only tunnel outside of the grounds was the one located under the Whomping Willow. It seemed all she had to do what hit a knot under the tree, but the problem was how to get to the knot.  
  
When the common room had finally emptied, she snuck through the portrait hole and made her way outside. She was thankful she hadn't changed out of her black school robe yet as it was very dark.  
  
Linnea checked the map one more time to make sure the coast was clear and continued down the grounds in a cat like crawl as if someone was going to jump out from behind a bush somewhere.  
  
She finally got to the Whomping willow; it's branches flailing with tremendous force. She searched and searched for something to hit the knot with. Rocks were simply knocked off course by branches, and she didn't know any spells that could help her. She was about to give up hope until she stumbled on a very large stick. She pushed it toward the knot of the tree and dropped it right on top. The tree gave shudder than stopped. It was as if it's branches had been frozen in time.  
  
A hole had opened at the base of the tree just wide enough to fit one person through. She squeezed in and fell down about twenty steps.  
  
The tunnel was simply a hole dug in the ground. Roots from grass, lined the dirt ceiling, while small rocks littered the ground below her. She walked through the seemingly never-ending tunnel and suddenly tripped over a rock. Her arms flung out to the side of the wall to try to save her fall but she only grasped dirt. She scraped her knee and was now covered in dirt.  
  
"How am I going to explain this?" she thought.  
  
But just then her eyes fell upon the place where she had grasped the wall. She had scraped the dirt down to a piece of wood.  
  
Linnea began to gradually dust way the dirt until she was looking at a wooden door as tall as the ceiling (not that that was saying much). On the door was a picture of a stag, a rather odd looking wolf, and a great black dog. There was something oddly familiar about the dog, as if she had seen it in a movie. But, all these animals were standing in front of a large phoenix with its wings spread out looking rather stern but beautiful.  
  
There was no door handle so Linnea tried pushing against the door. Nothing happened.  
  
Then an odd thought came to her. She pulled out her wand and tapped the door.  
  
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."  
  
Nothing.  
  
"Mischief Managed."  
  
Nothing.  
  
She wasn't sure what she was waiting for but she had a feeling she could figure out the password.  
  
Try as she might the door wouldn't open. Finally she said,  
  
"Load of help you were Mooney, wormta."  
  
The door suddenly swung open.  
  
"Mooney?" she thought She stepped in side and the door slammed behind her.  
  
"Lumos," she muttered.  
  
She had entered a large dome room. Linnea was standing at the top of a set of stairs leading into the center of the room where there was a circular table and 12 chairs.  
  
She slowly walked down the stairs in awe of what she had found. In the table lay a solitary piece of rolled up parchment:  
  
The Order of the Phoenix  
  
Members are as followed:  
  
Albus Dumbledore  
  
Minerva McGonagall  
Sirius Black  
Remus Lupin  
The list continued for feet:  
Molly Weasley  
  
Arthur Weasley  
  
Tonks  
  
Until finally she reached the end of the paper:  
May all those who fought and died for the Order know that it was not in vein. Lord Voldemort has been defeated! May the order close and we hope  
never to be opened again.  
  
Linnea didn't know what to think at this point. Apparently it was a meetinghouse for this group, The Order of the Phoenix. And.her dad and Professor Lupin, and Headmistress McGonagall where all in it.  
  
They fought Lord Voldemort?  
  
A she scanned the room she found books and papers, chairs pushed out, as if they had just picked up and left with out another glance.  
  
Everything was covered in dust. There was a smaller door on the other end of the room, and as she made her way to it she saw the same picture as on the first door, but, it did not have a phoenix, instead there was a rat.  
  
She pushed the door open to find a desk littered with old books. How to transfigure Animagus made easy How to get away from it all Your favorite animal could be closer to you than ever  
  
Pictures were strewn all over the ground. She picked up the closest one to her an examined it. It was a picture of the black dog from the doors. She flipped over the picture to find the word "padfoot" written on the back.  
  
She picked up another one with a stag, on the back it said "Prongs".  
  
"They were Animagus'"  
  
Suddenly Linnea looked down at her watch.  
  
"Oh, no. three AM."  
  
She had lost track of time after entering the hidden room, and bolted out of the Whomping willow. She raced back to the castle only taking time to check the map once more before dashing up the stairs to the common Room.  
  
"Where have you been?" The fat lady in the portrait asked.  
  
"Never mind Lomena. Lomena."  
  
All right whatever, I am just a portrait, who cares about me. She swung open and Linnea raced up stairs, crept into her dormitory and changed silently.  
  
It seemed as though she had just fallen asleep when Piper shook her awake.  
  
"It's like ten o'clock, you getting up or what."  
  
"Uh-huh, yeah sure."  
  
That afternoon, Linnea told everyone what she saw.  
  
"Why didn't you take us with you?" Piper asked resentfully.  
  
"What if I got caught? Besides, it would have been much more noticeable if five people were walking around the grounds than one. But don't worry I am going back tonight, with all of you if you want to come."  
  
Everyone agreed so at nine o'clock the met at the base of the Gryffindor tower and made there way to the willow.  
  
"Alright we have an hour till curfew so let's be careful with our time alright."  
  
"Yeah let's just go." Parvati said excitedly.  
  
Making sure no one was watching Linnea quickly hit the knot of the tree and flung herself into the hole. They had about twenty seconds before the tree would start moving again so they all hurtled through the hole as fast as they could.  
  
"Ok, let's go."  
  
Lighting her wand, Linnea led the way through the tunnel until she came to the door.  
  
"Mooney" she whispered.  
  
The door swung open just as it had the evening prior.  
  
As they stepped inside Linnea saw the same expression she felt on all the other's faces.  
  
They all spread out and examined each and every corner.  
  
"This is where the Order was stationed?" Alexia said in awe.  
  
"Wait you know about that."  
  
"Well yeah, who doesn't?" Than noticing the look on her face Alexia changed her approach. "I mean, most wizarding family's know about it.  
  
"Whoa, guys check this out." Piper had discovered the room with the desk.  
  
"I don't believe it." Amerie said is awe. "The marauders were Animagus'."  
  
Parvati was slowly riffling through the books. "This doesn't look to hard." We could do this. I mean we are all at the top of our class right."  
  
"Uh-oh," Amerie said. We only have fifteen minutes to get back.  
  
"That settles it then" Alexia said going back into the main room. "I officially call to an end the first meeting of the five marauderettes." 


	12. The New Power Rises

Home for the Holidays  
Chapter 11  
  
Linnea was packed and ready for her trip home for the holidays. She tipped her trunk on its end so the movers from the train would pick it up, and made her way down to the common room. Of the now-officially-named marauderettes only Piper and Alexia were staying behind. Which, as the rest pointed out, could become a bit of a problem.  
  
Amerie and Parvati on the other hand we looking forward to a pleasant ride back to civilization.  
  
Carriages pulled up to pick take them to the train station, and they all said their final goodbyes before getting inside the last carriage.  
  
On the way home, the trio spoke of mostly the new found order. How it would work out, and what in the world they would do, besides try to foolhardily become animagus'?  
  
Linnea was looking forward to a Holiday with her mom, dad, and Sirius. Her parents had agreed to have Sirius over.  
  
Amerie was going south to visit relatives, while Parvati was spending her Holiday, like Linnea at home: a quite get together of their immediate family.  
  
When the train pulled into the station it was already dark outside. They got off and went to find their families. Amerie was the first to see hers, and waved at them to come over.  
  
"Mom, Dad this is Linnea Huse and Parvati Delacour."  
  
"Nice to meet you both." Her parents said smiling and shaking their hands.  
  
Piper spotted her parents and ran over to greet them saying hurried goodbyes to Linnea and Amerie.  
  
"See you guys is a few weeks then."  
  
Linnea searched through the crowd for her parents as Amerie got her luggage. She came back pulling her cart and Linnea's.  
  
"Thought I'd grab this for you. Found them yet."  
  
"Nah I bet they didn't know to go through the barrier."  
  
"Well they're Muggles aren't they? So probably not."  
  
They went through the barrier in groups of three so as not to attract to many muggles.  
  
Linnea went through the barrier and looked excitedly up expecting to see her family standing there with their arms open to welcome her home. But they weren't. She didn't recognize anybody except for the occasional trickle of students exiting the barrier behind her.  
  
"Lin, what's up where are they?" Amerie said looking around.  
  
"They, they aren't here. I am quite certain I told them the right time."  
  
"It's ok, they probably thought you meant in the morning or something. We can drop you off if you want."  
  
Linnea looked up at the clock above the gate. 8:30 She had been back for a half-hour already and they weren't here.  
  
"Yeah," she said looking at Amerie finally, "yeah could you please."  
  
"Sure, Mom it's all right if we take Linnea home right."  
  
"Oh yes absolutely sweetheart." Her mom said still smiling wide.  
  
The ride home was full of Christmas spirit. Everyone in the car was looking forward to a great break. Linnea had decided that her parents or even she had simply made a mistake about the date, and since it was Christmas, there was no need to worry about it.  
  
They pulled into the driveway, where her parent's car was parked.  
  
"Well at least I know they're home." She said with a sigh.  
  
"Do you need some help with your trunk Linnea" Amerie's father asked politely.  
  
"No thank you sir, I got it."  
  
They said their final goodbyes and figured out a place to meet when the break ended (corner of platform eight at ten thirty).  
  
Linnea watched the Sky's drive off until she could no longer see their car. Sighing deeply she turned around to survey her house and smiled. She was home.  
  
With a little difficulty she lugged her trunk up to the door and pushed it open.  
  
If the neighbors hadn't had their music up so loud they would have heard the distinct sound of a trunk being dropped on the ground and a blood curdling scream."  
  
Sirius brushed out his hair and donned one of his few sets of muggle clothes. He had been trying to reach The Huse's all afternoon, but their phone was busy. He got into his new car. His motorcycle after over twenty years of loyalty had finally bit the dust.  
  
Sirius pulled into the driveway and noticed Linnea's trunk lying on the front porch.  
  
"What in the world. Well at least I know she's home."  
  
He made his way to the front door and knocked. No answer. He looked over at the car sitting in the driveway that was not his own. He knocked once more. Still no answer. Slowly, he turned the knob and poked his head the door. A putrid smell met his nostrils.  
  
"Hello?" he said nervously.  
  
He pushed open the door enough to walk through and stopped abruptly. He looked down t the floor of the foyer to see his ex-wife and her husband lying on the floor. Their bodies twisted together as if they had just crumpled on the spot. It seemed that the had been lying their for some time, as the overwhelming smell of rotting flesh met his nose once again.  
  
Covering his face he quickly knelt down beside his ex-wife her eyes still open in a look of shock that made Sirius sick to the stomach. But then another thought hit him.  
  
"LINNEA."  
  
Sirius stood up and quickly started shouting her name.  
  
He turned around quickly and saw her. She was crouched at the far end of her living room couch in a fetal position rocking silently back and forth.  
  
"Oh my God Linnea are you ok." He said hurrying over to her.  
  
She didn't say anything, but continued to rock back and forth staring unblinkingly at her parents.  
  
"Linnea come on we have to get you out of here.  
  
He picked her up but she seemed to be frozen in her position. He carried her out the back door and put her in his car.  
  
Sirius looked back at the house tears now coming to his eyes. Just two days ago he had seen his ex-wife smiling laughing, and enjoying herself in his company for the first time in quite a while. And Linnea who left her parents on such a sad note.  
  
Little did he know at that very moment Linnea was thinking the exact same thing. She would never again be able to see her parents again. Never to see them laugh, never to see them fight, never to kiss them goodnight. Scenes of her life began to flash before her eyes. Scenes of happiness, scenes of sadness, times she would give anything to take back, and times she would give anything to have back.  
  
Sirius then proceeded to drive back into the city. Every so often he would glance in the back seat. Linnea seemed frozen in time. Still staring into space. They stopped by a phone booth and Sirius holding Linnea still, walked into the booth and hit a series of numbers.  
  
"Linnea Huse and Sirius Black to the Magical Law enforcement office."  
  
Getting his tags he continued through the Ministry of Magic until he reached the door he was looking for.  
  
"Ron." He said quickly to a rather young looking handsome wizard with flaming red hair.  
  
"What is it"? He said worriedly looking from Sirius to Linnea.  
  
"It's her parents, their, well, they are.Oh just please go to her house. Here's the address." He said quickly jotting Linnea's address on a scrap of paper and handed it to him. "They are muggles, alright? Take some people with you, where is Harry."  
  
"Upstairs in level 3. You mind telling me what I am going to find here."  
  
Sirius' face became red and his eyes glassy, he set Linnea down who now stood, but did not loose the blank stare she had.  
  
Sirius leaned over and whispered something to Ron so that Linnea couldn't hear. Ron's eyes became wide in Horror.  
  
"Ok I think I'll take an aurora with me too."  
  
"Alright, go on, I got to get her to the hospital, I will see you in a bit. Don't leave the house till I get there please."  
  
Sirius then picked Linnea up and raced out into the elevator once more.  
  
"Level six, The Department of Magical Law Enforcement," the voice in the elevator said.  
  
Sirius pushed the number three and they began to rise through the ministry.  
  
"Level three, Department of Magical Games and Sports."  
  
Sirius raced through the open door and quickly spotted Harry exiting the Head of Department office.  
  
"Harry!" Sirius yelled.  
  
Harry looked up and smiled, but it soon faded as he saw the look of absolute fear in his face.  
  
"Sirius what is going on, what are you doing here, and who is this?" He said pointing to Linnea  
  
"This is my daughter Linnea Huse, and can we walk and talk." Sirius had resigned himself to the fact that he would have to talk about it in front of Linnea, and the sooner the better. He set Linnea down and looked at Harry.  
  
"Um, well I am on my way to a meeting."  
  
"Cancel it." Sirius said abruptly. "Believe me this is more important."  
  
"Ok, lets go."  
  
Sirius looked down to pick up Linnea once again, but she wasn't there, he looked up to see her walking toward the elevator.  
  
"Well, it's an improvement."  
  
All three got into the elevator and Sirius hit the large number 1 by the door. As they started moving upward, Sirius began to explain what he had seen. Harry merely listened in shock.  
  
".and Linnea has been basically like this since I found her only, she wasn't this active."  
  
"Level one Main office."  
  
"So I am going to take her to St Mungo's. Harry I need you to stay with her there. I don't know what she is going to do. I mean, she did just walk in to find her parents dead." he choked. That was the firsttime Srius had actually said it aloud. It all seemed real to him now. He would have given anything to take it back, to keep his sub-concious denial. Tears began to creep on him again as he continued.  
  
".it had to have had a major effect on her psychologically."  
  
Harry looked down at Linnea who know had small tears trickling down her soft pale cheeks. Still looking dead to the world around her.  
  
"Ok, but I am not sure I can help. She hasn't ever met me."  
  
They stopped at the front desk and Harry rescheduled all his meetings for the afternoon. They climbed back into Sirius' car and got to St Mungo's in less than five minutes.  
  
Harry had special connections within the staff and got them a room in no time.  
  
"Ok Linnea," Sirius said after she had sat down on her assigned bed. "I am going to go back and take care of your parents."  
  
Fresh tears began to form in her eyes.  
  
"I will be back later, but until then, this is Harry Potter, my Godson. He is going to keep you company while I am gone."  
  
Sirius gave Linnea a long hug. When they let go of each other both were in tears. Sirius walked to the door and opened it.  
  
"I love you daddy." She said softly behind him. 


	13. Not Unfamiliar Territory

Chapter 12 Not unfamiliar territory  
  
Sirius turned around and stared intently at the small eleven year old. It was the first time he had ever heard those words directed toward him. He gave her a reassuring smile and said very softly, "I have always loved you my child" and swept out of the room.  
  
As Sirius made his way back to Linnea's house a new fear arose. Where and how had this happened? This was not a freak accident, and nor, fro what he could remember, was it a muggle killing. Could it possibly be death eaters who merely want to let the wizarding world know that they were still around? Then why kill a muggle family?  
  
He pulled into the seemingly empty driveway only to walk into a sea of "MOMI" officers (Magical Office of Ministry Investigation). At this Sirius knew something was amiss as MOMI rarely if ever got involved in muggle killings even if done by a wizard.  
  
Sirius quickly fond the Chief Officer in charge and pulled him aside.  
  
"Alright Ron, spill. What is going on here?"  
  
Ron Weasley sighed. He could tell by the look on his face that Sirius was not going to let this one pass. "There have been calls, threats really of a new potential threat, nothing like what we have had before, but something we need to look into squashing before it gets started. We figured this was probably there doing."  
  
"But why muggles. Wouldn't another Wizard be a bit more effect especially to scare the people."  
  
"Oh Muggles are the best of you are trying to really piss off 'MOMI'. Muggles are much harder to get information from. Now-a-days we can generally extract some information from a Witch or Wizard due to there openness of mind" Ron said plainly. But it was clear from the blank stare Sirius had no idea what he was saying. Ok, Muggles as a general rule are not sensory to there 6th sense; they don't have magic powers obviously. The part of the brain that controls those nerves is completely shut down in a muggle. It is practically non-existent. It is quite close to a large part of your memory. That is how spells and incantations stay with you so easily..."  
  
"This was not supposed to be a 3 hour lecture on the workings of the muggle mind Mr. Weasley." Sirius said trying to sound light-hearted but getting agitated none-the-less.  
  
"I know I know," Ron said hurriedly. "Anyway, the closed off extra- sensory part of the brain acts almost as a shield for Magical mind readers. It is much harder to determine a killer that way."  
  
"So then this could have been random." Sirius said with an edge of relief in his voice.  
  
"Not necessarily," I believe this is the father and mother of a..."  
  
At this Ron glanced down at a clipboard that Sirius had not noticed before.  
  
"...a Miss. Huse." He said looking up at Sirius for conformation.  
  
"Well Linnea is actually...um, my daughter." Sirius said beginning to feel uncomfortable.  
  
"Well, that explains a lot then. It had to be former Dark Lord follower who got bored and decided they wanted to get back at someone. Its no wonder they picked you."  
  
At the conclusion of Ron's explanation Sirius heaved a sigh of relief. He was afraid that it might have something to do with Linnea, though he wouldn't know what.  
  
Ron wasn't sure how to respond to the relief on Sirius' face. He seemed to be relieved by the fact that his former wife died of a practically random cause. He decided, though, not to press the matter.  
  
"How's Linnea?"  
  
"Oh, um, I think she is getting over the shock. Harry is with her at St. Mungos."  
  
*****  
  
Harry had finally abandoned all hope of communication with Linnea after twenty minutes of solitary conversation. Now he simply sat by her bed and watched her as her glossy eyes seemed to look right through the wall into an unknown void.  
  
About an hour later Sirius showed up in the doorway of her room.  
  
"Welcome back," said Harry lazily still gazing at Linnea for any sign of life.  
  
"Anything?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Not so much as a finger twitch." Harry replied.  
  
Sirius sighed and leaned in next to her. "Linnea, its time to go home."  
  
"What are you..." Harry started but then stopped suddenly when Linnea's head turned and looked at her father. Sirius looked deep into her eyes as they began to focus on him. She slowly nodded her head and held up her hands to wrap around his shoulders. Sirius gave a small smile behind her back to Harry and mouthed "my house 6" Harry nodded in understanding and strode silently out of the room. Sirius picked up his daughter and carried her out of the hospital without a word to the desk clerk who seemed quite taken aback at the sudden removal of a patient.  
  
Linnea sat in the back seat of Sirius car and stared out at the muggle world in front of her. Everything seemed to be a dream, a blur. The only thing in her life that seemed real now was Sirius. Why did she even go to Hogwarts anyway? What use was it to her if she could make feathers levitate?  
  
Sirius opened the door to the house as Linnea almost walked straight into it. She collapsed on to the couch and once again stared into the void that seemed to follow her everywhere she went.  
  
Sirius stepped into her sight once again and looked her straight in the eye. He decided this would have to be the best time to talk about the incident before it truly became too much too ever overcome.  
  
"Linnea," Sirius began, but her mouth opened and he fell silent.  
  
"I was mad at them. Mad at them for forgetting about me at the train station. Now the only thing that clouds my mid is guilt. Guilt of my final time with them, and guilt of my final thoughts before discovering their end. Guilt that I was not with them when it happened. Could I have possibly kept it from happening or would I merely be lost as they were. At first I thought perhaps the first, and soon I relied the latter of course would have been the outcome. I do not know why this happened, but I believe that I was truly not supposed to be there. That for some reason I am to live on and perhaps make something of myself. So Uncle Sirius, I will not bid you goodnight." At this Linnea stood up and strode to her room and lightly closed the door.  
  
It was not until her last sentence did Sirius realize exactly what he was up against. That was not a real response from an eleven year old but a well thought out speech taken from things she had probably heard from her parents. "Cherrilyn always did prize herself as something of a psychologist." He thought  
  
This was far from over, but it seemed it might be easier then he first feared.  
  
At seven o'clock Sirius peeked in on Linnea to find her sleeping soundly. Harry and Remus Lupin were both in the kitchen having a cup of tea when Sirius reentered.  
  
"Out like a light." He said sounding quite relieved.  
  
"So what now?" Harry asked looking at Sirius and Remus.  
  
"I suggest we try to get her back to normalcy," said Remus plaintively.  
  
"No kidding." Harry said slightly perturbed. "I mean how would we go about do that?"  
  
"No that is what I mean. Get her into her old routine."  
  
"Well that takes her to either school or her parents," Sirius said now aware of the hopelessness of the situation until school started again, which could be to late.  
  
"Get some of her friends over here Sirius."  
  
"I don't know who her friends are."  
  
"Of course you don't. But I do." Remus said with a smile. "Your daughter is quite the little butterfly. Her group has many names around school and is very well known. Let's see, we've got the Dream Team, the Fabulous five, and the Quintet. They all fight for the top spot in their year and one of them I believe could be on the Gryffindor quidditch team if it weren't for they new rule they laid down a couple of years ago."  
  
"OK, I get the picture just get them here will you."  
  
"How's tomorrow at noon?"  
  
"Perfect, get on it."  
  
Remus stood and with a small pop disappeared from Sirius' kitchen.  
  
"Harry, I need you to keep in touch with Ron and the moment you find out something let me know."  
  
"Gotcha!" And with a small pop he too disappeared from Sirius' kitchen.  
  
Linnea woke up at 9 the next morning. "Whew 18 hours of sleep. How did I manage t pull that off?" As she didn't here any noise from out side her room she felt this was a good time to practice her telekinesis. Just as she was making a roll of tape fly across the room the door opened and Sirius poked his head in. Linnea wheeled around and unfortunately the tape followed suit.  
  
"Ah," Sirius said rubbing his forehead, "I see your up."  
  
Lupin, of course had been keeping Sirius informed of his daughters schooling, so Sirius was merely relieved that his daughter was trying to get back in the swing of things.  
  
Ok Hun your friends are coming over in a few hours and we are going to go to the movies alright.  
  
"Cool, they have never seen a movie before.  
  
"Well then you better pick out a really good one." He said, and then very slowly as if merely to transition to another thought, "and, your parents funeral is tomorrow at eleven."  
  
Linnea's eyes went comatose once again and Sirius knew that ever since yesterday afternoon she had been in a deep state of denial. He sighed whispered "I'm sorry hunny" and exited her room.  
  
After the movie Parvati and Amerie headed home, but as Piper and Alexia stayed at school for the holidays they had permission to stay at Sirius' house overnight and for the rest of the break if they really wanted to. Linnea was grateful for their company and seemed to brighten a bit when they decided they would stick with her.  
  
"Sorry Mr. Black, but you simply can't get rid of us." Piper said with a sly smile.  
  
"Well the more the merrier I guess." He said wit ha sigh.  
  
That night in bed the three girls plotted adventures for the marauderettes when they returned to Hogwarts. They decided monthly meetings would be the best, that way they could begin work on becoming animagus'  
  
Linnea lively engaged in the conversation, but inside she was truly dreading the rise of the sun. Her parent's funeral loomed over her like a dark rain cloud ready to rain acid at any moment.  
  
Finally the girls slowly drifted into sleep but were all too soon awaken by Sirius and a hardy breakfast. The meal was quite as everyone knew what was forth coming. The girls dressed in silence and at 10:15 sat on the couch awaiting Sirius' hand to sweep them out the door to the car.  
  
When they arrived at the church Linnea felt a sudden lurch in her stomach she stepped out of the car and looked around. People she knew, friends of her parents were all walking into the church with their heads bowed. "What's going on?" She asked almost automatically. Then it hit her. She had dreamed this very incident. She had dreamed of her parent's funeral. She stopped dead unable to move save for the large staggering breaths. Sirius' must had heard this because he turned around sharply and ran towards her. HE caught her right before she almost fainted.  
  
She built up her courage and with Sirius' help she entered the building very slowly. As she turned into the auditorium she began to turn away very quickly but the crowd of people that had formed behind her pushed her forward and she had to continue. There they were. There heads barely visible above the coffin from such a distance. They did not look peaceful as she had read in other books. They looked dead. Simply that. There faces were plastered with make-up to cover the ever whitening skin, and their faces were stone cold. They did not even look as though they were asleep.  
  
Visions from that night flooded her mind. Her head started to swim as she got closer. Tears began to form in her eyes as what she was looking at began to sink in. She could not hold in her emotions any longer and she completely broke down. Sirius fell with her as she crumpled in his arms. He merely rocked her back and forth whispering reassuringly in her ear that it will be ok, and that they will get through it together. But it was not ok. Nor would it ever be ok. Her parents were dead, gone. Hopelessness greater than she had ever felt before began to mix in her body and she cried harder. For minutes they sat and cried together on the floor in the front of the church auditorium.  
  
When she rose she made herself face her parents once more and continue to her seat. The feeling of hopelessness in her seemed to be sown around her entire body, and she felt as though she would suffocate under its pressure.  
  
By the graveside service she had pulled herself together enough to sprinkle the first bit of dirt on there final resting place. As they began to lower the coffins into the graves one of Linnea's cousins only five years old broke loose from his parents and ran to the other side by Linnea. "Uncle Matt, Auntie Cherrilyn?" he said very softly. He knelt down beside their coffins and simply watched them with a questioning look on his face. He looked up at Linnea and asked ever so quietly, "Where are they going?"  
  
Linnea held back the tears that crept back to her eyes. She bent down and hugged her cousin.  
  
"Home" she said softly. "They are going home." 


	14. The Choosing

Chapter 13 The choosing  
  
The rest of the Christmas holiday was a depressing one. Linnea knew she had to get back to normal at least on the outside before she returned to school. To her knowledge not many people knew about her parents and frankly she wanted to keep it that way. Alexia and Piper helped her with her school work and her telekinesis, while reassuring themselves that helping Linnea hide from her feelings was the right thing.  
  
When they returned to school two days in the busy atmosphere helped more than the entire three weeks at home had. Linnea loved getting back into learning again; it was her way to escape anything. Not to mention the marauderettes were setting up for there first meeting of the year. It was going to be on the full moon. That seemed to be a particularly slow night for teacher wanderings.  
  
The telekinesis meetings with Lupin had become more of counseling sessions than actual practice sessions, but Linnea practiced enough on her own to cover that. Professor Lupin had, as he seemed to think Sirius would fear, become more of a friend than any other teacher Linnea had ever had.  
  
"Well I don't know about you guys but I am feeling quite refreshed after my weekly History of Magic nap." Piper said as Amerie and Linnea sat down for lunch.  
  
"You know one day we are going to stop giving you our notes for that class." Amerie said slightly indignant yet smiling all the same.  
  
"Oh no you won't Miss. Skye I may have to stop helping you in potions." Piper smiled mischievously.  
  
It was true that one of the main reasons the five of them fought for top spot in their year was because they played to their strengths in study sessions. Linnea was simply incredible in charms and defense against the dark arts, but was pretty sketchy in potions which is where Piper and Alexia come in, with Amerie and Parvati dominating Transfigurations. And of course, History of Magic was merely a question of concentration. If you can stay awake long enough to get the high points of his notes you were all set.  
  
It was there last class before their marauderette meeting and the girls couldn't be more ecstatic. They chattered quietly in the back of Professor Lupin's class, drawing more attention then than they should.  
  
"Girls really I am going to have to separate you if you don't cool it." Lupin said finally getting a bit perturbed at the girl's constant disregard for the rules. The girls straightened up immediately but couldn't help fidgeting with excitement. When class was finally dismissed they made their way back to the dormitories to drop there stuff off before dinner.  
  
"Holy cow!" Piper exclaimed.  
  
"Only in India." Linnea smiled back.  
  
Piper looked at her indignantly. "Geeze I was only going to say how this felt like a really long day, and maybe asked if you agreed. You know make small talk."  
  
"I know, my goodness I was only joshin."  
  
Amerie just smiled at the two of them, they could have gone on for hours really saying nothing at all, just discounting what the other person said, but they had no time for that.  
  
At eight o'clock Piper, Amerie, and Linnea made there way to the Hufflepuff common room to collect Alexia and Parvati for a bit of a "study session" in the library. The girls found there way to the whomping willow and used a large branch to still the tree. Linnea kept a vigilant watch on the map to make sure they were safe.  
  
The girls quickly scrambled into the tree before it started moving again and stopped in front of the door. They looked excitedly around at each other. Linnea counted off, "three, two, one..."  
  
"Mooney," they all said in unison and the door swung open.  
  
Piper and Amerie ran to the back room to grab some of the books they had found earlier while Alexia and Parvati went to find chairs and anything else they could use. Linnea simply walked over to the table and ran her fingers across the unfinished wood. It was a beautifully crafted table with designs etched on all the legs and the outside of the frame. As she gazed over the littered table an idea came to her. In a flash the papers once sprawled all over where now neatly stacked at one end. With another blink the dust found its place on the floor by the broom. She stepped back slightly and concentrated all her mind on the table and spun in 90 degrees and moved it no more than a foot toward herself. Suddenly she turned around and saw four sets of eyes watching her in awe.  
  
"What?" she asked defensively. 'I was just practicing."  
  
"That was...Awesome." Alexia exclaimed. "How the heck did you pull that off, that table has got to weigh 200 pounds man, that's solid."  
  
"Yeah whatever, that's not what we are here fore," she said quickly.  
  
The girls would have fought it, but with curfew coming near they had limited time.  
  
"OK well I guess the first thing we need to do if we are going to try this animagus thing is figure out what animal we want to become." Piper said looking through the material she had carried to the table. "Let's see we have to study up on our animal, learn its movements and thought patterns, that is so we can control the mind when we transform, and we have to be able to transfigure any living thing into the animal before we can hope to animagus into it. That's so we have control over what we turn into."  
  
"But we don't transfigure animals until the seventh year, and that's only minimal sized." Alexia said looking concerned.  
  
"We also have Amerie and Parvati on our side." Linnea said with a small smile. The two girls blushed and smiled despite themselves.  
  
"OK so whats's it going to be girls." Alexia said. "What are we going to be.  
  
"A bird," said Amerie rather quickly  
  
"A fox," said Piper directly after.  
  
"A cat" Parvati responded.  
  
Alexia looked at Linnea expectantly. It was quite apparent that all the girls had spent more than the past few moments contemplating what they were going to turn into. Linnea, however, had absolutely no idea.  
  
"Well, I'm going to be a Unicorn." Alexia told them all quiet proud of her decision.  
  
"Um, you can't do that." Piper said looking down at the papers once more. "You can't gain magical power in the transformation and Unicorns definitely have that."  
  
"Oh." Alexia said quietly. "Then I have no idea."  
  
Linnea, however was looking at the table through the entire conversation. "A wolf" she said quietly to herself. "I'm going to be a wolf." she said a bit louder. It appears that Mooney was a wolf.  
  
"What? Where." Parvati said with interest.  
  
"No he wasn't." Amerie said suddenly looking rather frightened as her eyes reached where Linnea's were. "He was a werewolf."  
  
Silence filled the room.  
  
"Are you sure?" Piper asked looking down at the fading pictures.  
  
"Quite sure," Amerie replied becoming rather somber  
  
Everyone turned to Amerie and once again an uneasy silence settled over the girls until...  
  
"Oh my gosh you guys we only have five minutes to get back to our dorms. This meeting is adjourned." Alexia raced out the door looked at each other in panic and followed quickly after her.  
  
That night safe in their beds the Marauderettes quickly fell asleep, save one. Linnea lay in her bed sobbing unheard, as tears created a pool on her pillow case. She could never let the other Marauderettes see her in this state. They would never allow this type of weakness. The loss of her parents was something she alone was going to have to deal with. She was very glad Lupin lessons would continue soon. 


	15. The Party

Spring was fast approaching, which meant the end of the quidditch season. The day before Easter break would be the final match, Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw. It was the first time in quite a while Ravenclaw had made it to the finals so the competition was getting pretty heated. Often times the marauderettes would narrowly escape skirmishes in the hallway.  
  
Alexia and Parvati joined Linnea, Piper, and Amerie on the Gryffindor side for the final match. Greg Johnson, a scrawny sixth year Hufflepuff was the narrator of the game due to the last narrator getting fired for prejudice.  
  
"Ravenclaw and Gryffindor step out onto the field to begin the game."  
  
The captains shook hands or rather they grabbed each others hand trying the find out whose bones would break faster, before they were broken up by Mr. Bauer.  
  
"And the quaffle is released and Ravenclaw takes possession. Emmendorfer grabs hold and passes to Adkins, Adkins back to Emmendorfer, Emmendorfer to Cellini. Its madness the Gryffindor team can't touch these chasers. Emmendorfer can really pick 'em. Adkins shoots but no a beautiful save made by Patrick Konesko. --- A little background information while there setting up Patrick only a third year was found by captain Sarah Jordan and has proved to be a truly amazing asset to this team.--- And Gryffindor has the quaffle now and it appears they are using their beaters for quad protection I have never seen anything like it. Amazing the beater fires a bludger at the keeper which leaves the gate wide open and YES GIRARD SCORES ten points for Gryffindor."  
  
The game was getting faster and more brutal Ravenclaw obviously had the best chasers in the school and scored a few times, but Patrick kept them out most of the time. And none of them could pass the Gryffindor plays, they were truly outrageous. At one point they brought in the seeker out of no where to score and tie the game sixty – to – sixty. It was beginning to get very late and a chill began to run across the crowd, if someone didn't catch the snitch soon this game was going to go into the night.  
  
"Wait, is that..." Greg started but no one needed him to finish. Both Seekers had gone into a dash across the field the Ravenclaw seeker was a bit ahead of the Gryffindor but as Matt was riding the brand new "whistling whisper" he easily passed the Ravenclaw seeker and snagged the snitch just in time to circle the hoops.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR WINS 210 – 60! GRYFFINDOR WINS THE QUDDITCH CUP!" But no one could hear him over the roar from the Gryffindor side, This was three years in a row they had won, not to mention it secured there place for the house cup for the first time in eight years.  
  
The party that followed was extraordinary. The commons room was filled with streamers, banners, and of course people. Everyone, it seemed was enthralled in quidditch talk, except one.  
  
"Linnea are you ok?" Piper asked as she walked up to Linnea who was sitting in the far corner of the common room merely gazing with a half bemused yet tearful look. Linnea didn't answer, merely stared and the wild crowd behind them.  
  
"Linnea?" Piper asked again. Sitting down next to her Piper gazed around the room trying to figure out what could possible cause this sort of reaction.  
  
"Everyone is so happy aren't they?" Linnea finally spoke.  
  
Piper heaved a sigh of relief, "Yeah, it was pretty cool we won." She said leaning back against the chair with her hands behind her head.  
  
"Yes they are all happy." Linnea said again in an airy dreamy sort of a voice.  
  
Dropping her hands Piper leaned back up toward Linnea and looked around at her face. It was an expression Piper had never seen before, not emotionless, but every emotion all rolled into one.  
  
"I can't be happy I can't celebrate can I Piper." she said turning to her.  
  
"What!? Of course you can, why couldn't you?"  
  
"It wouldn't be right would it?" She said looking back at the congregation of Gryffindors. "I want to be happy, to have fun and enjoy myself, but my parents, they can't, they never will be able to again. So how can I be so heartless as to forget about them and live my life as I normally would were they still here? I...I couldn't just forget them like that."  
  
"You won't." came a deeper voice from behind. Both girls jumped and looked back to see Lupin kneeling by their shoulders. At some point during their talk he had sneaked up behind them. "Linnea, just because you live your life does not mean you forget the ones you've lost in the process. Your parents have been a part of your entire life. A lot of what you are today was because of their influence, and nothing will change that. And they will continue to be a part of you and your life for the rest of your days. The ones you love will never truly leave you. They will always be in your heart remember that Linnea." Patting Linnea reassuringly on the shoulder Lupin strolled back into the mass of people.  
  
Piper looked back at Linnea who seemed to have dropped a few of the emotions she was carrying around and sat with a bit broader smile and a look of true admiration in her eyes, which Piper could only guess was for Lupin.  
  
Straightening up Linnea said, "Well, how bout a game of chess than." She looked over at Piper who smiled broadly. The ran upstairs to get their chess sets and spent the rest of the night and even into the morning playing chess, yet never really talking. Piper figured it was for the best, Linnea kept that smile on her face, and only broadened it when she knew she was about to make a great move. 


	16. Jonathon Crosse

Final exams were creeping up on the students of Hogwarts, and the homework began to mount. If it weren't for her friends Linnea was quite sure she would never get through it all. They were in the great hall studying when Sarah Jordan, the Gryffindor quidditch captain suddenly burst through the doors with a newspaper clutched in her left hand.  
  
"Hey guys look at this." She said quietly as she placed the paper in front of her fellow sixth years. It was a copy of the daily prophet. On the front page was a large picture of a rather pompous looking man at a podium glaring at all that looked at the picture. "He's a muggle." Sarah explained. "His name is Jonathon Crosse, and apparently somehow he has found out about us."  
  
"So," another fifth year put in. "People do all the time their either smart enough to keep there mouth shut, or people think their crocks, why is he different."  
  
"Because he went about it differently. He showed one person at a time, gained believers, followers you know. Now he's got enough people to get half of Wales talking."  
  
"And that's not the worst of it," said another seventh year boy, Bill Kempt. "He's telling everyone, that we are evil. An organization of mutants trying to take over British Parliament."  
  
"But that's stupid." Piper came in. "I mean if he's known long enough to get that many followers he's sure to know we aren't trying to take over anything."  
  
"It doesn't matter Piper." Sarah interjected. "We're talking about Muggles here. They aren't the smartest lot. And, they scare easily, one word of something different and everyone freaks out. Apparently a group of them got together and started on an aptly named "witch hunt". They've organized it well enough to get government backing. They apparently already killed some muggle parents of a magical child, and have detained loads of others." Sarah sighed and looked down at the crude face. "We're in trouble this time."  
  
Word of Jonathon Crosse spread like wild fire around the school, before dinner not a student among them hadn't heard most or even more than the whole story. Aaron Seeburger came up to Piper and Linnea and asked, "Is it true? I heard Jonathon went to Hogwarts, but got kicked out."  
  
"He's a muggle you idiot." Piper said exasperated.  
  
Because they were the only first years at the table when the article was first brought in, the fabulous five were getting bombarded with absurd and just weird questions. From what color his hair was to how he survived under water in the Hogwarts lake for a full year.  
  
Linnea shook her head as Aaron walked off slightly perturbed at the rude response.  
  
"Where in the world does everyone get this stuff from?" Piper exclaimed reaching for a dinner roll.  
  
"Dunno," Linnea shrugged as she grabbed two chicken legs off the plate permanently placed in front of her.  
  
"Do you ever eat anything besides chicken at this school?" Amerie asked sitting down beside her.  
  
"Sure, I love the dinner rolls here." She said chomping into the best looking leg. "I mean really chicken has got to be the source of all my power. Without chicken who knows what could become of me." She sighed staring off into space.  
  
Amerie and Piper looked at each other knowingly and rolled their eyes as Linnea cleaned off her first two chicken legs and fished for a good looking wing.  
  
That night all five girls were congregated under the whomping willow.  
  
"Well, how's the searching going for everyone?" Piper asked.  
  
"Great!" Amerie said. There is loads of information on owls in the library and two weeks ago I turned my eagle feather quill into an owl feather, and the other day I turned my feather pillow into a snowy owl head.  
  
"That's...uh great Amerie." Piper said. "A little morbid but awesome progress."  
  
"Cat's are pretty easy too. I mean there are two in our dorm room, I barely have to look at books, and I can already turn my stuffed animal into a cat and back again."  
  
"Well that's our two transfiguration gurus." Alexia said. "I, on the other hand cannot so much as change the shape of an already existing feather.  
  
Alexia had decided to become a red tailed hawk but was having a tough time with it.  
  
"Oh not a problem." Parvati said. "Why didn't you just say so, I can help you out with your transfiguration if you learn your book stuff."  
  
"Well, I am finding that the fox mindset is going to be pretty easy maybe even fun to play with. He's a predator so he's not really high strung, and they are so sleek they can sneak away from there own predators pretty easily."  
  
"Well I'm having fun." Linnea said finally. "Wolf's are all over the place. I can often just sit outside and stare into the forest and see some roaming about. And no..." Linnea said looking at Amerie, "...they are not werewolves I assure you."  
  
"Did I say anything." Amerie said defensively.  
  
Piper stood up to wrap up the meeting. "Well I think for our next meeting we should all have nicknames. It will be easier to plan stuff that way. It would be like Mooney wants you Padfoot and Prongs to meet him under the station. Under the station being of course here under the whomping willow, and as I have surmised I highly doubt four sets of parents were that cruel to there kids so the names for the respected persons they belong to."  
  
"Alright then I call to an end this April meeting of the marauderettes."  
  
With a good ten whole minutes to get back to their common rooms they hurriedly checked the map so that everything was clear. It was of course and they started to exit until Linnea noticed something.  
  
"WAIT!" We have a major problem. Look!"  
  
All the girls crowded around the map. In four different sections of the map large groups of people were all huddled in one spot. And teachers were roaming the halls and grounds quite quickly.  
  
"Oh no, they called everyone back to the dormitories and we aren't there." Amerie exclaimed.  
  
"Oh crap look." Alexia said pointing down at the grounds next to the whomping willow. Lupin and Madame Pomfrey were headed straight towards them with no sign of stopping. The girls watched in horror and Madame Pomfrey hit the knot on the tree. "Back in the room hurry."  
  
The girls scrambled back into the marauder room and closed the door just as Lupin and Pomfrey entered the hole in the willow. The girls watched horrified as she stopped in front of the door and hovered there for a few minutes before moving on out of the site of the map.  
  
Come on guys this I our only chance." Linnea said closing up the ma and opening the door. As the girls exited a gust of wind blew in and slammed the door closed behind them.  
  
"Nox." Linnea said quietly just as a beam of light showered the ground in front of them. "Run!"  
  
"Hey you lot get out of here!" They heard Madame Pomphrey scream as they raced out of the Willow and toward the castle. They said goodbye at the stairs and split up. Linnea Amerie and Piper raced up the stairs toward the fat lady.  
  
"And where have you three been, they called everyone back an hou..."  
  
"Never mind Vratsa Vultures." Linnea managed to say  
  
"Fine don't mind me just trying to be helpful." As she swung the door open the girls barreled inside to come face to face with Headmistress McGonagall.  
  
"Good evening young ladies". She said in anything but an inviting tone. "Good of you to join us. Tell me, who was it that sent you back as we have the entire staff looking for you and your two Hufflepuff friends."  
  
All three girls gawked and the Headmistress until she continued.  
  
"Now we have had a bit of an accident in the potions lab and there are some chemicals that would be rather harmful to you students. Of courset5he problem will be cleared by tomorrow morning so no you will not be able to miss any classes. So now that we have all arrived safely I believe it is time for us all to go to bed."  
  
Everyone started up the stairs with Amerie, Linnea and Piper trailing behind until they heard the Headmistress call their names. They all flinched, turned around, and said "Yes professor" in unison.  
  
"I will see you all in my office tomorrow after dinner. Eight o'clock."  
  
"But, sorry, but, I have a meeting with Professor Lupin tomorrow Professor."  
  
"Not anymore you don't, Miss Huse. Now go on to bed and I will see you tomorrow night."  
  
"We are so dead." Alexia said as they started up the stairs to their room. 


End file.
